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KASB legislative roundup for Friday evening, April 9


Posted Date: 04/09/2021

KASB legislative roundup for Friday evening, April 9

The Kansas Legislature adjourned the 2021 regular session with public school funding still unresolved. Legislators will try again when the wrap-up session starts May 3.

An attempt to tie funding increases prescribed by the Gannon lawsuit settlement to a private school voucher-type program died Friday in a dramatic 20-20 vote in the Senate. Here is a link to the vote on SB 175.

KASB and other education advocates cheered rejection of the effort to use tax dollars for private schools. KASB stands ready to help legislators craft a funding plan during the wrap-up session that will help Kansas students succeed.

In another development, legislators made no changes to the recently enacted SB 40, which requires that school districts hold hearings if anyone objects to pandemic-related operations, such as required mask wearing. While some have complained the hearings and deadlines are cumbersome as districts deal with unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 crisis, others say districts are not responding appropriately.

In other business, the Legislature sent to Gov. Laura Kelly:

— SB 55, which would prohibit transgender athletes from competing on girls and women’s school team;

— HB 2039, which would require students pass a civics test and financial literacy course to graduate high school;

— HB 2007, which provides funding for state government, except K-12 education;

— HB 2064, establishing The Promise Scholarship Act, which would provide assistance to help students afford the cost of postsecondary education, up to a two-year degree;

— HB 2089, which would allow school boards to provide firearm safety education programs. The State Board of Education would be directed to establish curriculum guidelines for a standardized firearm safety education program. In kindergarten through fifth-grade, guidelines would be based on the Eddie Eagle gun safe program offered by the NRA.

Kelly has indicated she doesn’t like the transgender bill. The legislation got 26 votes in the Senate and 76 in the House, which is below the number that would be needed to override a veto.

Here is a video wrapup to Friday’s developments.