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WHAT'S ALIVE AND WHAT'S DEAD
As I write this on February 10, things are happening fast at the GA. Crossover is February 13, and you should receive this on February 15, so there may be some changes in the bills mentioned. Senator Boysko said today that so far the Senate has debated 735 bills with 325 passing. After Crossover, the Senate will begin working on the 410 house bills that have passed so far plus more of the 1,547 introduced if they pass in the next few days.
Be sure to access the bills from the list below that are of special interest to you by going to leg1.state.va.us to find out the status of legislation after Crossover, who voted for or against, effects of the bill, etc.
Alive on February 10
HB 187 (Clark) Raises teacher salaries to the national average or above. Read the first time in the full House.
SB 104 (Lucas) Provides an annual review of compensation with the goal of raising salaries to the national average. Constitutional reading dispensed with in the full Senate.
SB 142 (Mulchi) Provides up to two years of a local provisional license before starting a standard provisional license. Constitutional reading dispensed with. Passed by for the day in the full Senate on Feb. 9.
HB 398 (McQuinn, 7 other delegates and 2 Senators) Encourages evidence-based restorative disciplinary practice to reduce suspensions and expulsions by repairing harm to the injured party, etc. Read the first time in the full House.
HB 624 (Rasoul with HB 761 Delaney) Improves school funding formula and improves student teacher ratios. Read the first time in the full House.
HB 625 (Rasoul) Requires the Board of Education to establish the framework for community schools (community services offered in the school) throughout the state. Read the first time in the full House.
HB 805 (Rasoul, 19 other delegates and 1 senator) Allows any locality in the state to hold a referendum to add a 1% sales tax with the money to be used for school construction or repair. Seven similar bills were incorporated into this one. Read for the first time in the full House.
HB 659 (Ballard) Requires the Board of Education to develop and make available to each school board by August 1, 2024, model policies and guidance related to allowing students to enroll in any school in the school district in which they reside. Read for the first time in the full House.
Dead on February 10
“Laying on the table” means a committee does not recommend that a bill go any further in the process. It could be taken off the table during this session, but that is rarely done. A bill could be passed but with the stipulation that it must be passed again in the next session before it is finally passed and sent to the Governor to be signed. Of course, it could have a nay/no vote anywhere between a subcommittee and the third reading in either chamber. It could pass both chambers and the Governor could veto it. The legislature needs a two-thirds vote to override a veto. A committee could strike a bill from its docket and not even have it introduced. A committee could vote to “pass it by indefinitely” and not vote on it. Finally, a bill could just be left in a committee and never be dealt with at all.
HB 17 (Garrett) and HB 65 (Campbell) Allows home schooled students to participate in interscholastic programs. Tabled by House Education subcommittee.
SB 84 (McGuire) Allows home schooled students to participate in interscholastic programs. Passed by indefinitely by Education and Health Committee
HB 181 (Feggans) Decreases the staffing ratio of public school counselors. House Appropriations Committee recommended it be continued to 2025.
HB 388 (Griffin) Places restrictions on how VRS makes investments. Stricken from the docket by Appropriations Committee.
HB 380 (Sturtevant) Requires a school board to create a process for a qualified student to access funding for alternative educational opportunities. Passed by indefinitely in Education and Health Committee.
SB 83 (McGuire) Removes the four listed requirements for a parent to home school a child. Passed by indefinitely in Education and Health Committee.
HB 1180 (P. Scott) Creates a tax credit for taxable years 2024-2028 that may be claimed by any parent whose child receives home instruction or attends a private school in Virginia. Also, a parent may the credit for certain eligible education expenses. House Finance subcommittee recommended tabling it.
HB 558 (DeStaph) Permits parents of qualified students to apply for a renewable school choice savings account to be used for expenses such as private school tuition, instructional materials, etc. Passed by indefinitely in Senate Education and Health Committee.
SJ 9 (Sturtevant) and HJ 153 (Batten) These are companion bills requesting a JLARC study of the crisis in recruiting and retaining teachers. SJ 9 was defeated in Senate Rules Committee. HJ 153 is still in the House Rules Committee and is likely to be left there.
Notes
• Primary Election Day in Virginia – March 5
Early primary voting ends – March 2
Ask for either a Democratic or a Republican ballot. Choices may be difficult, but voting
is a right we should claim.
• All Creekside Newsletters and all Legislative emails are on the VRTA website (vrta.org).
• Plan now to attend the VRS presentation after lunch at the Spring Delegate Assembly
on Tuesday, April 16, and the Legislative Session on Wednesday, April 17, at 9:00 a.m.
• GOOD NEWS: The VRS COLA, will be 3.56% and will appear in the August check.
• All district presidents are reminded to forward the Creekside Newsletter to unit presidents (or their designated person) on the 15th of each month. Unit presidents (or their designated person) should forward it to unit members as soon as possible. If this is done, all members who have email can get this information in one day. Several members across the state have recently told me they are not getting this important communication.
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