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Rules Subcommittee Halts Study

The House Rules Subcommittee on Studies convened Thursday afternoon and worked into the evening with a full agenda that included Delegate Tom Rust's House Joint Resolution 92 (HJ 92). This resolution would require the Department of Education to study the religious exemption statute and potentially make recommendations for changes.

After Delegate Rust presented HJ 92, the chairman asked for testimony supporting the measure, but no one testified in support. When those in opposition to the measure were permitted to speak, an articulate college student who had been educated at home under religious exemption graciously refuted newspaper articles that had stirred up questions in the media. With limited time for testimony, two other young professionals who had also been successfully homeschooled under RE and were ready to speak, were instead asked to stand rather than give testimony in opposition.

Scott Woodruff of HSLDA, Parrish Mort of VaHomeschoolers, and HEAV lobbyist Bob Shanks, all spoke in opposition to the measure. The committee then agreed by voice vote "to lay it on the table." This means it was left in committee and no other action will take place.