| DAY 17 The House and Senate met for their 17th day. No education related bills were on the
calendar. So far this session, only one
education related bill has passed the Senate. SB2 and four education related bills passed
the House: HB62, HB65, HB75, HB91. These
bills await committee hearings in the other chamber. The joint House and Senate Education Committees had a four
hour meeting for a hearing and panel discussion on SR80,
AP History. A resolution is only a
recommendation from the House or Senate. The Full House Transportation committee met to discuss a brand
new substitute to HB170,
Transportation Financing Act 2015l. This
bill would change the way motor fuel taxes would be collected and used. The most recent amended bill includes
language that would allow school districts to keep the current eSPLOST until it
expires. Citizens will then be asked
vote on a new eSPLOST. The new portion
of the eSPLOST that is raised on motor fuel tax, would need to be spent on
transportation. The definition of
transportation is in the new bill. The
committee voted to pass the bill on to the House Rules Committee. We will share additional information about
this bill once the substitute is available. HB170 is still referred to as a work in progress. On Thursday, the House Education Academic Innovations Sub
Committee will meet to discuss a number of bills: HB
16, Magnet School Students to Participate in Home School Activities; HB 209,
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act, to revise the
prior school year attendance requirement to the prior semester; HB
271, Charter-Schools-in-the-Workplace;
HB
296, Scholarship Program for Special Needs
Students, to expand eligibility for the program to certain lawful refugees;
and HR4,
Municipalities, to
establish by local law an independent school system. The
House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee will meet to hear HB186, Carrying Weapons Within Certain School Safety Zones
and at School Functions. The Governor’s Opportunity School legislation was officially introduced as SB133 and SR287. SB133 has
enough signers to pass the Senate. |