Legislative Briefs

Bill Headline: Special education funding

Bill Number: House Joint Memorial 3

What it does: Signed into law in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the main federal statute governing special education for children and is one of the largest programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The law was originally enacted because many children were not having successful educational experiences due to undiagnosed disabilities, with more than half of children with disabilities not receiving appropriate educational services. IDEA protects the rights of more than 6 million students to receive a “free appropriate public education” in the least restrictive environment. The federal government covers less than half of the 40 percent-per-pupil funding promised in 1975. House Joint Memorial 3 urges Congress to fully fund the act.

What’s new: A public hearing and possible work session is scheduled for Monday, March 25.

What’s next: OSBA will support the memorial. OSBA and National School Boards Association have lobbied in Washington, D.C., for full funding of IDEA for years.

Bill Headline: Foreign exchange student funding

Bill Number: House Bill 3115

What it does: A few small school districts host a small number of foreign exchange students in dormitories associated with the local district school and have done so since before the 2010-11 school year. After this year, these districts will not receive any funding distribution from the State School Fund for these students. HB 3115 would remove current sunset provisions and allow foreign exchange students residing in dormitories to be considered resident students for purposes of State School Fund distributions, if the dormitories existed in the 2010-11 school year.

What’s new: A public hearing and possible work session is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27.

What’s next: OSBA will lobby in support of the bill.

Bill Headline: Opioid overdose response

Bill Number: Senate Bill 665

What it does: This bill would direct the State Board of Education to adopt rules for the administration of naloxone or any similar medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. It would cover administration by trained school personnel to students or other individuals on school premises.

What’s new: A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27.

What’s next: OSBA is the chief proponent of this measure and will lobby for the measure’s enactment.