(a) If the district attorney or the probation officer receives notice from the school district pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 48260.6 of the Education Code that a minor continues to be classified as a truant after the parents or guardians have been notified pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 48260.5 of the Education Code, or if the district attorney or the probation officer receives notice from the school attendance review board, or the district attorney receives notice from the probation officer, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 48263.5 of the Education Code that a minor continues to be classified as a truant after review and counseling by the school attendance review board or probation officer, the district attorney or the probation officer, or both, may request the parents or guardians and the child to attend a meeting in the district attorney’s office or at the probation department to discuss the possible legal consequences of the minor’s truancy.
(b) Notice of a meeting to be held pursuant to this section shall contain all of the following:
(1) The name and address of the person to whom the notice is directed.
(2) The date, time, and place of the meeting.
(3) The name of the minor classified as a truant.
(4) The section pursuant to which the meeting is requested.
(5) Notice that the district attorney may file a criminal complaint against the parents or guardians pursuant to Section 48293 of the Education Code for failure to compel the attendance of the minor at school.
(c) Notice of a meeting to be held pursuant to this section shall be served at least five days prior to the meeting on each person required to attend the meeting. Service shall be made personally or by certified mail with return receipt requested.
(d) At the commencement of the meeting authorized by this section, the district attorney or the probation officer shall advise the parents or guardians and the child that any statements they make could be used against them in subsequent court proceedings.
(e) Upon completion of the meeting authorized by this section, the probation officer or the district attorney, after consultation with the probation officer, may file a petition pursuant to Section 601 if the district attorney or the probation officer determines that available community resources cannot resolve the truancy problem, or if the pupil or the parents or guardians of the pupil, or both, have failed to respond to services provided or to the directives of the school, the school attendance review board, the probation officer, or the district attorney.
(f) The truancy mediation program authorized by this section may be established by the district attorney or by the probation officer. The district attorney and the probation officer shall coordinate their efforts and shall cooperate in determining whether another public agency, a community-based organization, the probation department, or the district attorney is best able to operate a truancy mediation program in their county pursuant to this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 323, Sec. 8. (AB 901) Effective January 1, 2021.)