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Informational hearings  on distance learning and the 2020/2021 school year.

The House Education Policy Committee and Education Finance Division will be holding three remote informational hearings that will focus on distance learning and the 2020/2021 school year.

Wednesday, June 24
9:45-11:15 AM

This hearing will highlight the voices of students, parents, our state ethnic councils and community organizations that are supporting communities during distance learning.
Speaking slots have already filled, but if you would like to submit written comments, please email them to alyssa.fritz@house.mn by noon on Tuesday, June 23.

Thursday, June 25
9:45-11:15 AM

This hearing will highlight the voices of teachers, counselors, social workers, school nurses, transportation operators, & early education teachers who are supporting public school communities during distance learning.
Speaking slots have already filled, but if you would like to submit written comments, please email them to sarah.burt@house.mn by noon on Wednesday, June 24.

Tuesday, June 30
9:45-11:15 AM

This hearing will highlight the voices of public school administrators, principals, school board members and the Minnesota Department of Education about their experiences with distance learning.
Speaking slots have already filled, but if you would like to submit written comments, please email them to alyssa.fritz@house.mn by noon on Monday, June 29.



June 22, 2020
Special Session
Bills - Passed
Education Policy
The first special session ended early Saturday morning with much still on the table. However, an education policy bill was passed and is awaiting Governor Walz's signature.
SSHF 33 passed the House on a 117 - 9 vote and was unanimously agreed to in the Senate.

Once signed, the new law will:
  • clarify contracts for fuel or transportation;
  • modify district reporting requirements for dyslexia;
  • require vaping instruction for middle school students;
  • require procedures for disposal of drugs;
  • allow a district to conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA);
  • allow special ed students to participate in Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instruction Services (ADSIS);
  • prohibit districts from dismissing pre-K students; 
  • allow for different mechanisms to verify student age; and,
  • add an alternative deadline for developmental screening.
Notably, there were bills that will not move on to become law, despite widespread agreement.

Bills that Didn't Pass
Distance Learning Broadband Grants  
SSSF 6SSHF 35  designated $15 million in 2020 to a K-12 "distance learning broadband access grant program" for students lacking Internet access last spring or this fall. $2 million will go towards reimbursing licensed healthcare providers or public health agencies who invest in and install telemedicine equipment for COVID-19-related care.

The Border-to-Border Broadband Fund, which targets the development of permanent broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, would have been a significant recipient of the bill and could have provided substantial help for businesses, telecommuting, and distance learning.

This bill has had several iterations, but through determination by the chief authors and others, agreement on the federal dollars' distribution was reached between the House and Senate near the last day of special session. Although this bill had been worked out by all four legislative caucus leads and committee chairs, it did make it to the House floor.  The bill passed with a bipartisan vote of 67-0 in the Senate.

By now, you are probably very aware that the other issues that didn't get done this special session include a bonding bill, a tax bill and police reform.

COVID-19 Aid to Cities, Counties and Townships
There is also a COVID-19 bill that would have dispersed over $841 million in federal coronavirus relief monies to the state's counties, cities and towns (Hennepin and Ramsey county funds were directly appropriated.) The House amended the legislation to add several items from the governor's supplemental budget, including funds for direct care and treatment, personal care assistance, the state patrol and the Minnesota Zoo. SSHF 128/ SSSF 47 was passed 77-55 in the House, but the Senate didn't act upon the amended bill. The Senate GOP argued the amended bill violated an agreement earlier in the week between the four caucuses on distributing COVID-19 dollars.

Police Accountability and Reform
The bill that received a great deal of attention during special session was the police reform bill. The House had a number of provisions packaged in SSHF 93/ SSSF 104.
The House bill had about two dozen bills packaged together that was the result of hours of hearings. The legislation would set new parameters for the use of force by peace officers; lift a ban on residency requirements for officers; prohibit "warrior training" and require training on mental illness and autism; make changes in how officer-involved deaths are investigated and potentially tried; and restore voting rights to felons upon their release from custody, among other provisions.

The Senate passed five public safety bills that had some overlap with House measures, including a ban on choke holds, stress management for officers, and training in crisis intervention. Late Friday night, the Senate added other measures to their public safety proposals, including changing the grievance arbitration procedure to include administrative law judges; instructing officers to preserve the sanctity of life; and adding mandatory autism training. In the end, both bodies weren't able to agree and adjourned sine die.

Upcoming Meetings 
It is very probable the Governor will call another special session prior to July 13, when the current peacetime emergency ends.     
 
Question
MSBA would like to know if your district has a legislative advocacy committee or if you are interested in forming a group.  
 
 
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Minnesota School Boards Association | 507-934-8133 | msba@mnmsba.org
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St. Paul, MN 55103