Senate Education Committee adopts AG amendment to House Bill 1542 and advances bill

The Senate Education Committee voted 6–0 to adopt an amendment to House Bill 1542 and then voted 6–0 to give the bill a due‑pass recommendation as amended.

Committee members adopted an attorney general–draft amendment (listed in committee materials as 25.0951.03001) that strikes the phrase “one year retention requirement” from a sentence that references section 15‑10‑44. Lisa Johnson of the university system told the committee the removal prevents the statute from becoming inconsistent if the university system later changes its retention period.

"If Century Coach had ever changed to be a 2 year or 3 year retention period, we would there would be no reason to come back and change it in this section," Lisa Johnson said. "The university system concurs with that recommendation." Representative Jared Hendricks, the bill sponsor, said he had seen the amendment and was comfortable with it: "For the record, Jared Hendricks, District 10 State House. I did see the amendment and I'm comfortable with the amendment."

Senators Baushe and Axman moved and seconded adoption of the AG amendment; the committee recorded 6 yeas, 0 nays and the amendment passed. Senator Wabamaw then moved a due‑pass recommendation as amended, seconded by Senator Baucher; the committee voted 6 ayes, 0 nays to pass the bill from committee. The committee recorded that Senator Wabamaw will carry the bill.

The amendment replaces the explicit one‑year phrase with language that allows institutions to follow the retention periods set out in section 15‑10‑44 and applicable federal rules (FERPA), rather than fixing a single retention period in the statute. No changes to the bill's other provisions were adopted at the meeting.

With committee approval, the bill will move to the next stage of the legislative process with the committee‑designated carrier noted at the meeting.