The conference committee on House Bill 1013 voted to add a $500,000 appropriation to reimburse the Department of Public Instruction for contracts that had been funded in expectation of federal ESSER extensions that the U.S. Department of Education refused.

Committee members said the amendment, placed at page 7 as a new section for contract reimbursement and paired with an emergency clause on page 14 (section 25), is intended to backfill payments for obligations already incurred where the federal extension did not materialize.

Members debated whether the appropriation would be sufficient and how quickly funds should be available. A committee member explained that the superintendent of public instruction received a notice from the U.S. Department of Education that a group of requested ESSER extensions had been denied, leaving outstanding contracts with no federal reimbursement. Senator Shibley said the change was an efficiency appropriation for the 2023–25 session and emphasized that the appropriation is intended to reimburse spending already undertaken, not to expand programs. "If it's not used, it becomes turn back money," Shibley said.

The committee moved to reconsider earlier actions and then considered the amendment adding the DPI reimbursement section. A motion to adopt the amendments was seconded by Senator Shibley and passed on a roll call vote. The clerk recorded affirmative votes including Chairman Richter, Representative Loehzer, Representative Nathie, Senator Connelly, Senator Schaible, and Sorvaugh. The committee noted the amendment contains an emergency clause so the appropriation would be available promptly and referenced an effective date in the amended text.

After the votes the committee moved to accept the amended engrossed bill and concluded its business. The meeting adjourned.