Tuesday, February 13, 2007
This Morning
The SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE is meeting at 8:32 in W 130 to consider SB 49, which allows school districts and charter schools to apply to the State Board of Education for funds to set up Optional Extended-Day Kindergarten classes. Part-day kindergarten would still be offered, and no child would have to attend an extended-day class. Incoming students would be tested for readiness to be sure a majority of an extended-day class needed the additional instruction. Funds would go to schools with the greatest need, as measured by the percentage of students with family incomes low enough to be eligible for free school lunch. SB 49 appropriates $7.5 million for the program.HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION will consider Subst SB 18 which diverts $39.6 million a year in oil, gas and mining severance tax proceeds from the General Fund into the permanent state trust fund and other investment accounts..
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS (W10 at 8:15) will debate House Resolution 2, which asks Congress and Homeland Security to suspend or repeal the federal REAL ID Act. REAL ID requires states to issue driver licenses and identification cards according to federal standards by May 2008 and to share information bases with other states. The resolution objects that this is an unfunded federal mandate that would require all current cardholders to reapply for their licenses and produce 3 or 4 proofs of identity, threatening the privacy and liberty of all Americans. On the agenda in HOUSE EDUCATION this afternoon are HB 149 and HB 364. HB 149 would cap K through 3 class size at 20 students (22 for small schools) , which would cost $45 million a year. HB 364 prohibits school districts or charter schools from buying instructional materials unless an independent party has checked to see if materials align with the core curriculum. The evaluation couldn't be done by the State Board or Superintendent of Education, other school employees or board members or by the publisher of the materials. Results would be published on a website for teachers and the general public. SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT will consider Substitute HB 102, which appropriates $9 million for land and water reinvestment. Three million dollars each would go to the LeRay McAllister Critical Land Conservation Fund, the Rangeland Improvement Fund and to the Department of Natural Resources for watershed rehabilitation.
Sandy Peck
League of Women
Voters,
(801)272-8683 fax (801)272-5942
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