Legislative Briefs
Bill Headline: School Revenue Forecast Committee
Bill Number: House Bill 2074
What it does: In 1999, Executive Order 15 required the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, as part of the calculation of projected current service level funding, to consult with stakeholder groups in the form of a School Revenue Forecast Committee. This process ended in 2014. This bill would restore much of the process. It would direct DAS to form a committee and prepare a tentative budget for the State School Fund. It further would define committee membership and methodologies for calculating the tentative budget and set timelines.
What’s new: The House Education Committee held a public hearing March 4. Representatives of the Oregon Education Association and a sitting commissioner on the Quality Education Commission testified in favor of the measure.
What’s next: The bill has not been scheduled for further consideration. OSBA will continue to monitor it.
Bill Headline: Special education assessments
Bill Number: Senate Bill 16 and Senate Bill 486
What it does: To receive special education services, a student must undergo a comprehensive evaluation, which may include health examinations. Current law permits Oregon licensed physicians to perform medical exams and licensed nurses to perform health assessments for special education evaluations. SB 16 would remove health assessments from statute and permit nurses and physician assistants to conduct medical exams. It also would expand permitted testing and allow for health practitioners appropriately licensed in another state to conduct such exams. SB 486 would modify existing timelines for student evaluation, giving districts less time than under current rule.
What’s new: The Senate Education Committee held public hearings on both bills March 4. Testimony from education stakeholder groups, including the Oregon Education Association and the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, expressed concern around any bill that would reduce timelines for the evaluation process. Currently, districts are not funded adequately to reduce these timelines.
What’s next: The bill has not been scheduled for further consideration. OSBA will continue to monitor it.