California Governor Newsom Repeals Kamala Harris-Backed Anti-Truancy Law Criminalizing Parents

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation repealing a controversial 2011 anti-truancy law once championed by Vice President Kamala Harris during her time as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. The law criminalized parents of children who were absent from school for 10% or more of the year, allowing for misdemeanor charges, fines, and even jail time, which critics argued disproportionately targeted struggling families and criminalized poverty. Harris initially defended the law as a crime prevention tool to keep children in school and out of trouble but later expressed regret for its consequences after public backlash over police arresting parents, mostly mothers. The repeal bill, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, who cited his own childhood experiences as motivation, was framed as a move to support rather than punish families and children. Harris has distanced herself from the policy, stating in 2019 that the criminalization of parents was not her intention. The repeal comes amid ongoing discussions about truancy challenges in other states and the broader implications for justice and family support systems.