Monday, February 19, was the 41st day of the session and the last day to introduce bills in the Senate. This coming Sunday, February 25, is the 47th day of the session when bills are due out of committees in the house of origin. For a complete list of education-related bills, click here.

House Education Bills

HB 5162 - Establish a program to promote creation and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs. The purpose of the bill is to create the "Youth Apprenticeship Program," which shall allow any students who are in eleventh or twelfth grades, or are sixteen years or older, the opportunity to enroll in apprenticeship programs offered at public schools and the ability to gain secondary credits from said programs. The bill passed out of committee and is on 2nd reading on Special Calendar in the House.

HB 5180 - Removing requirements to submit certain evidence on behalf of home schooled children. This bill would make a child exempt from the compulsory school attendance requirement if the requirements relating to instruction in a private, parochial, or other approved school, are met. The instruction shall be in a school approved by the county board and for a time equal to the instructional term set forth in code. The bill passed out of committee is on 2nd reading on Special Calendar in the House. To read more, click here.

HB 5540 - Requires fentanyl prevention and awareness education in middle schools and high schools (Lakens Law). Among its provisions, the bill would require students to be trained in fentanyl awareness, prevention, abuse, and addiction and the use of naloxone and other antagonists to treat overdoses. The House voted 95 to zero to pass the bill. It is like Senate Bill 750 which passed Senate Education and was sent to full Senate.

Other House bills:

HB 4829 - Relating employment of service personnel and removing the requirement for a high school diploma or general education development certificate. The bill is First Reading on Special Calendar in the House.

HB 4902 - To provide a raise for special education aides, as well as a raise for self-contained special education teachers. The bill passed out of the Education Committee with amendment and was sent to Finance.

HB 5425 - Granting a waiver to fill certain professional educator positions of employments when no applicants have six or more years of experience. The bill passed out of the Education Committee and is on 1st reading, Special Calendar.

Senate Education Bills

SB 813 - Allowing students to participate in non-school competitive activities The purpose of this bill is to allow student-athletes to participate in competitive events and activities while playing for their school. While participation in school sponsored extracurricular sports is a voluntary opportunity, no student-athlete should be deprived of additional opportunities to advance or showcase their skills purely because they are playing for a school sports team. The bill passed out of Senate Education on Tuesday. Read more here.

SB 172 - Revising requirements of local school improvement councils. This bill relates to local school improvement councils membership requirements; requiring minutes be taken at every council meeting; revising requirements pertaining to annual council meeting regarding the school's academic performance; requiring training on the role and governance of the councils and the production of a document on parent and community leader roles in the councils; and allowing public charter schools to abide by all or some of the local school improvement council requirements. This bill pass the Senate and is on 2nd reading on the Special Calendar in the House.

SB 806 - Removing certain required reports to Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability. The purpose of this bill is to remove several required submissions to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability (LOCEA); and remove a requirement for LOCEA to review the progress and implementation of the comprehensive systems of support for teacher and leader induction and professional growth. The bill passed the Committee with immediate consideration. It is on the 2nd reading in the Senate.

SB 750 - Establishing Laken's Law. This bill requires each school district to annually provide age-appropriate, research-based instruction related to the dangers posed by the drug fentanyl to students in grades six through 12; encouraging school districts to provide the instruction during Red Ribbon Week; specifying topics that the instruction is to include; specifying who may provide the instruction; and requiring instruction to begin in the 2024-2025 school year. The bill was introduced in Committee and a substitute reported and referred to Rules.

SB 761 - Providing greater access to unused buildings for public charter schools. This bill would allow unused buildings for public charter schools; requiring the county board or public entity to allow the charter school sufficient time to establish the school; providing that the facility is not required to hold the building if the charter school application is denied; and allowing the authorizer of the charter school to release the building in the event the school is unable to open. This bill passed the Committee with substitute and was given immediate consideration. It is on the 2nd reading in the Senate.

SB 860 - Creating alternative high-risk population public charter schools. This bill aims to create alternative high-risk population public charter schools and permit an enrollment count of three times a year for funding. The bill was introduced in the Senate and resides in School Choice.