Conference committee approves amended language for Senate Bill 2330, substitutes 'best practices' for 'evidence-based'

The conference committee on Senate Bill 2330 voted to approve a conference committee amendment (25.05510.06003) and then adopted the committee—s amendment in place of the House amendment, moving the bill forward with changes discussed by members.

The amendment removes the phrase "evidence-based" and replaces it with "best practices," strikes language providing a separate appropriation, and narrows the eligible schools referenced in the bill to public schools and tribal schools rather than including nonpublic schools, committee members said. Chairman Beard and Senator Behm led the discussion on the proposed changes.

Senator Behm said the committee—s language, prepared by legislative counsel, "still includes the language to, you know, scratch out, provide an appropriation, but what we did change ... we scratched out evidence based, and went with best practices." Representative Jonas said she had checked with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), which she said has been "following this and they're ready to work with the attorney general's office when this passes." Jonas also reported that she had "connected with Claire Ness of the attorney general's office" and that an assistant attorney general reviewed the proposed statutory language and indicated it was acceptable guidance for any organization receiving the grant.

After discussion, Senator Behm moved a motion for a "do pass" on the amendment (identified in committee as 25.05510.06003); Representative Vileman seconded. A voice/roll-call vote recorded the following ayes: Chairman Beard (aye), Senator Behn (aye), Senator Gearhart (aye), Representative Jonas (yes), Representative Hauck (yes) and Representative Heilman (yes). The committee chair announced the amendment had passed and that the amended bill (referred to in committee as Bill 2,330) was before the committee.

Representative Bauch then moved that the conference committee amendment (6003) be adopted in place of the House amendment (6001); Senator Gearhart seconded. A roll-call vote recorded the same members voting aye: Beard, Behn, Gearhart, Jonas, Hauck and Heilman. Committee members designated carryers for the enacted language: Senator Behn will carry the measure on the Senate side and Representative Jonas will carry it on the House side.

Committee discussion also noted that the appropriation referenced in earlier drafts is included in the attorney general—s budget, and that lines 5 through 24 of the proposed language were reviewed and found acceptable by the attorney general's office. Representative Hauck explicitly noted the removal of the House—s amendment to include nonpublic schools, saying the revised text limits eligibility to public and tribal schools.

With no further business, Chairman Beard adjourned the conference committee.