Legislative Update for 02/02/2019
|
Legislative Update for 02/02/2019
While the frigid weather definitely impacted schools throughout the state and even brought the U.S. Postal Service to a halt, it did not impact the activity at the Capitol! The pace was busy with several subcommittees scheduled. The bills below passed out of subcommittee and some were voted on and passed out of the education committee, making them eligible for debate on the floor. SF 160 – Emergency Operations Plans – The bill requires schools, when developing their emergency operations plans, to consider recommendations from the Department of Public Safety, in addition to recommendations from the Department of Education (Department). This bill received a unanimous vote in the Senate Education Committee making it eligible for debate on the floor. SF 159/HSB 17 - Teacher Preparation Testing – Allows the Department to set the required passing score based on consideration of the recommended score determined by the test provider, test scores in other states, and teacher supply and demand data. The bill allows a one-year license for a person who has not yet passed the test(s), has completed all other program requirements, and has a documented job offer. This provision will also be extended to out-of -state applicants. Finally, the bill states that once a person reaches the required score, the person is considered to have passed, even if the required score goes up before completing other program requirements. The bill passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously making it eligible for debate on the floor. The House accepted the Senate’s version and passed HSB 17 out of subcommittee, making it eligible for a vote in the House Education Committee. SF 139 – Financial Literacy – Pushes back the financial literacy graduation requirement to the graduating class of 2022 – 2023. It passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously and is now eligible for debate on the floor. SF 138 - Reorganization and Whole Grade Sharing Incentives Extension – Extends certain incentives for whole grade sharing for an additional five years, from July 1, 2019 – July 1, 2024. The bill provides for a reduced uniform levy as an incentive for school districts that reorganize on or before July 1, 2024. The bill passed the Senate Education Committee and is eligible for debate on the floor. SF 115 – Carrying on School Grounds – Allows a peace officer to carry a gun on school grounds, even when not on duty. The bill passed in subcommittee making it eligible for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. SF 116 – Guns and School Transports - Allows individuals with a valid nonprofessional permit to carry a firearm on school grounds if they are on school grounds to transport a person to or from, or delivering an item to the school; and if they remain in a parking area or driveway. The bill passed in subcommittee making it eligible for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. SF 43 and SF 58 – Vehicle Modifications for Transporting Students – These bills are similar in that they would increase the allowable size of vans used to transport students to 12 passengers, including the driver. SF 58 would also allow the use of pickups of nine passengers or less to also be used as school buses, if the pickup does not carry more passengers than there are safety belts and if the pickup is not operated while any passenger is in the bed of the pickup. Both bills require vans, if over nine passengers, to be 'used' vehicles due to federal regulations that prohibit the purchase and use of new vans of over 10 person capacity for student transportation. However, those same regulations do not apply to used vans. Both bills passed in subcommittee making them eligible for a vote in the Senate Transportation Committee. There was a subcommittee held on HSB 39, which is a companion bill to SF 58. It passed subcommittee, making it eligible for a vote in the House Transportation Committee. SF 31 – School Administrative Cost – Limits the percentage of a school district’s budget that can be expended for administrative costs. The definition of administrative costs would be determined through the Administrative Rules Review process. The bill passed in subcommittee making it eligible for a vote in the Senate Education Committee. SF 29 – ESL Supplemental Weighting – Increases the amount of supplementary weighting from .22 to .39 and the number of years from five to seven years for limited English proficient students. It would take effect on July 1, 2019. The bill passed in subcommittee making it eligible for a vote in the Senate Education Committee. SSB 1043 – Civics Test – Requires school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to offer high school students an opportunity to take the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Civics Test. The bill passed in subcommittee making it eligible for a vote in the Senate Education Committee. SSB 1034/HF 6 – Voluntary Diversity Plans – Strikes the use of voluntary diversity plans as a reason to deny open enrollment. It passed a Senate subcommittee making it eligible for a vote in the Senate Education Committee. There is a House companion bill, HF 6. This year, the Iowa State Fair (state fair) runs from August 8 through August 18 and the current school start date can be no earlier than August 23, which this year is on a Friday. The following bills have been proposed to address the time between the last day of the state fair and the school start date of August 23. SF 129 states that a school's start date can be a day during the calendar week in which August 23 falls. However, if August 23 falls on a Saturday, the school calendar would begin no sooner than August 25. SF 130 which is a bipartisan sponsored bill, states that schools cannot begin their calendars sooner than the Monday after the state fair or on August 23, whichever comes earlier. HF 78 and HF 185 are companion bills to SF 130. Typically my legislative updates include bills that have been scheduled for a subcommittee. There are several education related bills that have been proposed, but not yet scheduled for a subcommittee. If you would like to check out those bills, feel free to visit our Legislative web-page under Bill Tracking. Until next week... Shan Seivert |
| Stay Connected with Iowa Department of Education: | |||||
|
|||||
| Manage Subscriptions Help |
