nhsba

New Hampshire School Boards Association

Legislative Bulletin

April 8, 2016

  

A Brief Summary of Education Issues at the State House  

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Criminal Background Checks Passes House
SB152 amends the statute relative to criminal history records checks for school employees and designated school volunteers.  The bill authorizes the release of information regarding the presence or absence of any record of convictions of the applicant of felonies or misdemeanors, rather than the current report indicating the presence or absence of certain felony convictions.  NHSBA supports this appropriate expansion of information provided by the criminal history records check.  Experience has shown that individuals charged with felonious assault may sometimes plead to a misdemeanor; such plea bargains are not revealed under the current law.  The House adopted the Committee recommendation of Ought to Pass by a voice vote.  The bill was referred to the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee for a second review, but the committee chair waived referral. The bill now proceeds with the enrollment process and then to the governor's office for signature.
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Energy Efficiency Funds for Local Governments and School Districts
SB492 requires the public utilities commission to allocate certain funds to school districts for energy efficiency projects. The proposal provides for up to $5 million annually to be allocated to municipal, school district and local government energy efficiency projects under the core programs, and the remainder would go to a fuel-neutral residential core energy efficiency program.  The Department of Environmental Services and the Public Utilities Commission indicate the bill would not change the annual revenue which is estimated to be $27 million for FY 2016.
The Science, Technology and Energy Committee voted Ought to Pass (OTP) 12-5, with the committee recommendation going to the floor of the House on April 20.  School board members should contact their local representatives and urge support of the committee recommendation, authorizing increased funding for school energy efficiency projects.
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Senate Education to Hear Pupil Assignment Bill
HB1637 allows a school district to assign a child to another public school in another school district or to an approved, non-religious private school if there is no public school for the child's grade in the child's resident district.  The bill also allows a school board to make a contract with a non-religious private school to provide for the education of a child who resides in a district which does not have a public school at the child's grade level .  The public hearing before the Senate Education Committee is scheduled for Tuesday morning, April 12, at 10:00 am in room 103 LOB.
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Education Committee Recommendations This Week
House Education Committee
Charter Schools and a Resource Position at the Dept. of Education
SB483 establishes a committee to study the necessity of creating a chartered public school program officer position and to study appropriations to chartered public schools for the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years. Amid discussion of an immediate need for such a position at the Dept. of Education, the executive session was continued until April 12.
 
Senate Education Committee
Content of Patriotic Exercises
HB1300 amends the requirement for patriotic exercises in public schools to include a discussion of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner Ought to Pass (OTP) 3-1 Scheduled for Senate consideration April 14
 
Withdrawal from a Cooperative School District
HB1303 establishes a commission to study issues relating to pre-existing districts withdrawing from a cooperative school district.  Senate Education recommended increasing the Commission to 15 members by adding two additional public members. Ought to Pass as Amended (OTP/A) 4-0 Scheduled for Senate consideration April 14
 
Limitations on Disclosure of Information on Tests
HB1497 requires school districts to destroy personal information of students following the completion and verification of statewide assessment tests. This bill also gives students taking college entrance exams the option to have all their personal information destroyed by the testing entity following the completion and verification of the test . Ought to Pass (OTP) 4-0 Scheduled for Senate consideration Apr 14
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House Action on Education Bills
SB25 establishes procedures for the administration of epinephrine by certain authorized entities.  The bill also provides immunity to school personnel relating to a pupil's administration of epinephrine and requires that designated school personnel participate in an anaphylaxis training program . OTP
SB316 provides that a placement made by a child's special education team pursuant to that child's individualized education program shall not be deemed a change of school assignment.  OTP
SB320 provides that no student shall be required to volunteer or submit to a non-academic survey or questionnaire without written consent of a parent or legal guardian.  The bill also creates an exception to this requirement for one such survey, the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . OTP/A
SB322 establishes procedures for the provision and administration of bronchodilators, spacers, or nebulizers to students in school.  OTP
SB328 permits public agencies to exercise certain joint powers with school districts and school administrative units. The bill enables cooperative efforts that may yield savings in financial administration of town/school funds.  OTP
SB370 establishes a committee to study real time threat notification systems to link schools with law enforcement when schools are under direct threat.  OTP
SB371 establishes requirements for implementing a school lunch meal payment policy: no student may be subject to different treatment from the standard school lunch meal or school cafeteria procedures . OTP
SB373 establishes a committee to study the feasibility of using school building aid funds to upgrade the information technology infrastructure in the public schools for the purpose of enabling the establishment of virtual classrooms.  ITL
SB460 requires a school board to ensure that health and physical education as it relates to abused children is taught in schools.  OTP/A
 
Senate Action on Education Bills
HB1121 clarifies that required critical areas of study not included in the statewide assessment (history, geography, civics, and economics) are subject matters whose assessment remains within the purview of the local school board.  OTP/A
HB1225 provides that a student shall have the right to wear a dress uniform issued to the student by a branch of the United States armed forces while participating in the graduation ceremony for the student's high school if the student meets certain requirements. The student must have completed basic training for, and is an active member of, a branch of the United States armed forces.  Ought to Pass (OTP)
HB1283 requires the Department of Health and Human Services to notify the child's school of a change in placement made under RSA 169-C that will result in a change in school assignment.  The department and school district are then charged with developing a transition plan for the child. Ought to Pass (OTP)
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Upcoming Legislative Education Schedule - Tuesday, April 12, 2016
House EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
10:00 a.m. Executive session on SB 503-A, relative to pre-kindergarten education using "pay for success" financing; SB 326, relative to the membership of the community college system of New Hampshire board of trustees; SB 483-FN, (New Title) establishing a committee to study the necessity
of creating a chartered public school program officer position and to study appropriations to chartered public schools for the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years.
 
Senate EDUCATION, Room 103, LOB
9:00 a.m. HB 1130, relative to placement on school property of a memorial or memorial plaque honoring those who have died during military service.
9:10 a.m. HB 1644-FN, relative to screening and intervention for dyslexia and related disorders and establishing a reading specialist position in the department of education.
9:30 a.m. HB 1372, permitting a child with a disability to use audio or video recording devices in the classroom.
10:00 a.m. HB 1637-FN, relative to school attendance in towns with no public schools.
EXECUTIVE SESSION MAY FOLLOW

For the complete text of any bill, go to the general court web site and enter the bill number, e.g. HB1563, and make sure the Session Year is 2016. 

 

For more information on specific legislation, please call Dean Michener, NHSBA Director of Governmental Affairs at 603-228-2061, or email: deanm@nhsba.org. 

Dean Michener
NHSBA Dir. of Governmental Affairs
deanm@nhsba.org
603-228-2061