Student-care idea gains panel's favor

School districts would be authorized to give consent for medical care for homeless students under a bill that cleared the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Wednesday.

Sponsored by Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, Senate Bill 340 would allow a school district homeless services liaison to give consent for a student under age 18 who is considered homeless under federal law and not living with a parent or guardian or in state custody.

The bill would amend Arkansas Code 20-9-602, which requires such consent to come from a parent or guardian except under certain circumstances, such as when the child is pregnant or has been emancipated by a court.

[RELATED: Complete Democrat-Gazette coverage of the Arkansas Legislature]

Attorney David Ivers of Little Rock said the issue arose last year when a homeless student was referred to Hot Springs-based Quapaw House, which provides substance-abuse treatment.

"Based on our legal advice, [Quapaw House] felt like the law was not clear" on whether a parent or guardian's consent was required, he said.

According to the state Department of Education, Arkansas on Oct. 1 had 11,701 public school students who were considered homeless, all of whom were living with a parent or guardian.

A separate count of homeless people in the state in January 2018 found 240 homeless "unaccompanied youth," meaning they were under age 25 and not with a parent or guardian or caring for their own children. The committee recommended approval of the bill in a voice vote, with no members dissenting. It next goes to the full Senate.

--Andy Davis

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