A Senate Subcommittee met Tuesday morning and passed several pieces of legislation which were then passed by the full Senate Ed Committee later in the day. The bills now move to Senate Rules for placement on the Senate voting calendar:

• HB 115 by Rep. Dickson (R-Cohutta) tweaks current law allowing the Governor to replace local school board members who jeopardize a system’s accreditation. The bill was amended in committee to add a house bill that failed to move before the Crossover Day deadline. The additional language prohibits board members from using public funds to fight removal after the Governor’s decision.
• HB 116, also by Rep. Dickson, allows the State Board of Education to transfer various types of gifts to its foundation arm.
• HB 284, the Return to Play Act, sponsored by Rep. Pruett (R-Eastman) requires schools to implement a concussion management program for student athletes. 

 House Ed Assigns Controversial Legislation to Subcommittee

The House Education Committee met Tuesday afternoon and passed two uncontroversial bills--SB 212 which mandates that CPR be taught in health and p.e. classes and SB 115 revising the way in which the academic performance data of students in Georgia’s residential treatment centers is reported.

The committee also assigned some high-profile legislation to subcommittee. Since Crossover Day has come and gone, it’s unlikely that the legislation will move until next session, but some of the legislation is sure to generate attention at that time.

• HB 519 and HR 550 by Rep. Jasperes (R-Jasper) would allow local school systems to return to an elected school superintendent system.
• HB 550, by Rep Scott (D-Rex) would establish a peer review committee to make recommendations to the Governor regarding the removal of local school board members.
• HB 555 by Rep. Cheokas (R-Americus) criminalizes action by local board members who violate the Voting Rights Act.
• HR 486 by Rep. Taylor (R-Dunwoody) would allow for the creation of new Georgia school systems.

House Passes FY 2014 Budget

The House passed the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget, which now moves to the Senate for consideration. A document tracking changes the House made to the Governor’s version of the FY 2014 budget is available HERE, starting on page 30. Highlights include:

• Reduction in Governor’s proposed cuts to ag ed, career/tech education, school nutrition, and RESA’S
• Reduction of proposed cuts to sparsity grants
• Increase in funding in accordance of recommendations by the Education Finance Study Commission regarding school counselor funding, school nurses, and professional development
• Bonds for buses, infrastructure upgrades, vocational equipment, and capitol outlay

Despite the addition of funding to several of these education items, the FY 2014 budget still contains large rolling reductions to public education. The rolling reductions continue to cause painful cuts at the local level resulting in shorter academic years, teacher furloughs, and increases in class sizes in many school systems. For more information, check out the Georgia Budget and Planning Institute’s report on the FY 2014 Budget.  

WATCH “Legislative Week in Review” for more on education-related issues at the Capitol

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