| Day 32 Today was a
slow day for visible activities under the Gold Dome. The full Senate and House took up only a few
bills and none were education related. There was also a very brief calendar of committee activity. The Senate
Health and Human Services Committee met to consider the following bills, but
did not have time to take them up, due to the length of deliberation on the medical
marijuana bill. HB177, relating to child abuse and deprivation records, so as to provide
that certain school personnel who are required to report child abuse shall be
notified upon receipt of such report and upon completion of its investigation; HB198, the Jason Flatt Act-Georgia, relating
to student health in elementary and secondary education, to require annual
suicide prevention education training for certified school system personnel These bills should be on the committee’s agenda sometime next week. Friday is
shaping up to be a day of limited activity under the Gold Dome, but with major
focus on education related bills. The full Senate
will debate and vote on: HB76, the FY16 budget. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed
the FY16 Budget on Wednesday. The bill will be on the Senate floor for a
vote on Friday. HB170, the Transportation Funding Act
2015. This bill passed the House, but has
undergone major amendments since it arrived in the Senate Transportation
Committee. After
passage, both bills will be assigned to conference committees for final
negotiations and approval before the end of the 40th day. The full
House will have a very limited debate calendar for Friday. There is only one education related bill on
their calendar at this time. The Senate
Education and Youth Committee will meet to consider the following bills: HB372, Utopian Academy for the Arts Act. This will only affect the opening of charter
schools. HB131, the End of Cyberbullying
Act. This act will add cyberbullying to
the Title 20 section regarding bullying. HB401, Early Care and Learning clean-up
bill. The House
Education Academic Support Subcommittee will meet to consider the following
bills: SB132, the Move on When Ready Act; SB156, would allow the State Charter
Schools Commission to create a foundation; SB164, to provide for positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and response to intrvention initiatives (RTI). Next week should be a very interesting week with the legislators scheduled to meet all five days for legislative days 34 – 38, as they prepare for the final legislative session day on April 2nd. The session is getting down to crunch time. Bills must get through committees, then to rules committees for consideration, and on to the full floor of the Senate or House for a vote in the remaining seven days of the session |