By JULIE CUNNINGHAM
(Boston, MA) A pair of bills moving through the Massachusetts House of Representatives gives Massachusetts school students two mental health days. On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on both bills, introduced by Representative Tami Gouveia, representing the 14th Middlesex District, and Representative Carol Doherty, from the third Bristol District. Both bills mandate schools to excuse mental health absences. Gouveia’s bill modifies the existing law to include mental health and behavioral health as excused absences. Doherty’s bill gives students two mental health days in a six month period without a note explaining the absence from a parent.