1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; granting employment leave for certain designated 
1.3 	individuals to attend school conferences and activities; allowing a parent to 
1.4 	consent to a significant individual participating in school conferences;amending 
1.5 	Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 13.32, by adding a subdivision; 181.9412, 
1.6 	subdivision 1a, by adding subdivisions.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 13.32, is amended by adding a subdivision 
1.9 	to read:
1.10 		Subd. 8a.Access to student records; school conferences. (a) Under section 
1.11 	181.9412, subdivision 2a, a parent or guardian of a student may designate one "significant 
1.12 	individual," as defined in section 181.9412, subdivision 1b, to participate in a school 
1.13 	conference involving the child of the parent or guardian. The parent or guardian must 
1.14 	provide the school with prior written consent allowing the significant individual to 
1.15 	participate in the conference and to receive any data on the child of the consenting parent 
1.16 	or guardian that is necessary and relevant to the conference discussions. The consenting 
1.17 	parent or guardian may withdraw consent, in writing, at any time.
1.18 	(b) A school may accept the following form, or another consent to release student 
1.19 	data form, as sufficient to meet the requirements of this subdivision:
1.20 	"CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN CONFERENCES AND 
1.21 	RECEIVE STUDENT DATA
1.22 	I, ........................................... (Name of parent or guardian), as parent or guardian of 
1.23 	........................................... (Name of child), consent to allow ........................................... 
1.24 	(Name of significant individual) to participate in school conferences and receive student 
1.25 	data relating to the above-named child, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 13.32, 
2.1 	subdivision 8a. I understand that I may withdraw my consent, upon written request, at 
2.2 	any time.

2.3	........
	(Signature of parent or guardian)
	
2.4	........
	(Date)"

2.5 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 181.9412, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
2.6 		Subd. 1a.Foster Child. Notwithstanding section 259.59, subdivision 1, for the 
2.7 	purpose of this section, "child" includes a biological, adopted, or foster child.

2.8 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 181.9412, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.9 	to read:
2.10 		Subd. 1b.Significant individual. For purposes of this section, "significant 
2.11 	individual" means one additional adult designated by a child's parent or guardian to attend 
2.12 	school-related activities and conferences. The significant individual must reside with the 
2.13 	child and participate actively in the child's care and upbringing.

2.14 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 181.9412, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.15 	to read:
2.16 		Subd. 2a.Leave for other designated individuals. (a) The parent or guardian of a 
2.17 	child may designate a significant individual to receive employment leave of up to a total 
2.18 	of 16 hours during any 12-month period to attend school-related activities and conferences 
2.19 	involving the child of the designating parent or guardian, provided the school-related 
2.20 	activities and conferences cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours. A significant 
2.21 	individual may participate in a school conference only if the child's parent or guardian 
2.22 	transmits prior written consent to the school in which the child is enrolled, allowing the 
2.23 	significant individual to participate, consistent with section 13.32, subdivision 8a.
2.24 	(b) An employee seeking leave from work under this subdivision must present a 
2.25 	"certification of significant individual designation" form to the employer before attending 
2.26 	the school activity or conference. The form must bear the signature of the designating 
2.27 	parent or guardian, the name of the child, and must certify that the employee is the only 
2.28 	individual designated by that parent or guardian to receive leave from work, under this 
2.29 	subdivision, for that child. The parent or guardian may revoke the significant individual 
2.30 	designation at any time.
2.31 	(c) The following form may be used by the parent or guardian to designate an 
2.32 	individual under this subdivision. Use of this form is not required, but designation forms 
2.33 	must be substantially similar in content and appearance to be valid under this section:
3.1 	"CERTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUAL DESIGNATION

3.2	Parent OR Guardian (Name and address of person making designation)
	
3.3	...........................................
	
3.4	...........................................
	
3.5	...........................................
	
3.6 	.................................... (Name of individual seeking work leave) is hereby 
3.7 	designated to have a significant relationship with ................................... (Name and 
3.8 	address of child), and is therefore entitled to unpaid leave from employment to attend 
3.9 	school activities for the above-named child pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 
3.10 	181.9412, subdivision 2a. I further certify that ............................. (Name of individual 
3.11 	seeking work leave) is the sole and only person I designate for the work leave entitlement 
3.12 	to attend school activities for ................................. (Name of child).

3.13	........
	(Signature of parent or guardian)
	
3.14	........
	(Date of designation)"