(A) Truancy prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person 18 years of age or younger who is required by law to attend school and who is subject to the compulsory attendance requirements of the Illinois School Code and/or enrolled in a public, private (including a home school) or parochial school within the corporate limits of the city, to absent him or herself from attendance at school during the hours in which she or he is enrolled without parental or school permission. Any person who shall so absent him or herself shall be guilty of the offense of truancy and be subject to the penalties hereinafter set forth in this section. Emergency absences due to illness or other causes beyond the control of the person so absenting him or herself from school without parental permission shall not constitute truancy if permission for such absence has been obtained from the parent and such permission is submitted in writing to the proper school authorities within 24 hours of such absence.
(B) Parental responsibility. It shall be unlawful for any parent, legal guardian or other person to permit a person in his or her custody or control to commit the offense of truancy.
(C) Contributing to truancy. It shall be unlawful for any person 18 years of age or older to perform any act of commission or omission which act encourages or contributes to the truancy of any person.
(D) Defenses to truancy. Those defenses and/or exceptions as set forth in the Illinois School Code for compulsory attendance or enrollment in school shall apply as defenses to this section.
(E) Authority to issue citation. The Will County Sheriff's Department and any agent thereof, including School Resource Officers and Truancy Officers employed by the Regional Superintendent of Schools are hereby authorized to write and issue citations for violation of this section.
(Ord. 11-287, passed 8-18-2011) Penalty, see § 131.99