Committee hears HB 12-42 to boost school nurse pay; votes deferred because of fiscal impact

Representative Julie Mayberry presented HB 12-42 to the House Education Committee, a proposal to raise school nurse pay with an effective date specified as the 2027–28 school year. Because the bill has a fiscal impact on general revenue, the committee received testimony and deferred any vote until leadership bundles fiscal items later in the session.

Mayberry said the bill aims to address a statewide staffing and retention problem for school nurses and gives two years to identify funding sources through the adequacy review process and other options, such as Medicaid billing or tobacco settlement funds. She asked committee members to meet in the interim to pursue funding solutions.

Jacqueline McKeown, director of health services in a local district, summarized state…