Appropriations committee signals opposition to amendment to H454, Education Transformation Bill

The House Appropriations Committee on April 11, 2025 held a straw poll and voted 9-0-2 to not support an amendment to H454, the Education Transformation Bill.

Representative Gina Galfetti introduced the amendment and said it would restore elements of the governor’s original proposal. “I think that this amendment, everyone is actually quite familiar with since it was the original draft of the bill before it got pulled off the walls, the governor's original proposal,” Representative Gina Galfetti said. She told the committee she wanted to “return to that foundation that was built in the initial bill,” arguing the change would better achieve a “fully transformative plan and to save money.”

Committee members who opposed the amendment said they had not had time to review the lengthy amendment and raised concerns about its fiscal impact. One committee member noted a perceived difference in page count between versions, saying, “So I thought the original bill was 154 pages long, and this is 193.” A member who moved the straw poll opposed the amendment on procedural grounds: “I will make a motion that we find it unfavorable,” said Representative Jim (last name not specified), adding, “It's not because I don't appreciate the governor's approach. I do agree with representative that we did stray ... I just ... I can't support an amendment this long at the eleventh hour.”

Members also noted the amendment had not fared favorably in House Ways and Means. Representative Galfetti acknowledged that the committee had not previously seen the governor’s original draft because it had been considered in House Education. The chair called a roll for a straw poll; the roll and the recording show the following members recorded as voting yes to not support the amendment: Representative Woodland; Representative Dickinson; Representative Senska; Representative Roche; Representative Roecky; Representative Nigro; Representative Squirrel; Representative Yacatoni; and Representative Schott. The clerk announced the tally as “9 0 2 to not support the amendment.” The transcript does not specify which members, if any, abstained or were absent beyond the two counted in the “2.”

The committee concluded its consideration of that amendment and indicated it would move on to House Education business next.