House Appropriations Committee advances package of education, childcare and capital outlay bills; most pass unanimously

The House Appropriations Committee met to consider and report a package of bills affecting schools, childcare, courts and higher education; most measures were approved by voice or recorded votes and sent out of committee for further consideration.

The committee reported bills requiring school systems to adopt safety and health plans for students: House Bill 1663 would require the Board of Education to develop guidelines and require school boards to adopt policies for preventing and managing heat illness in student athletes; House Bill 1695 would require each public school to develop response plans for cardiac arrest and life‑threatening emergencies (an amendment removed an earlier grant program); and House Bill 1700 would require school boards to develop and implement a bleeding control program, including maintaining bleeding control kits (an amendment removed a "with such funds as appropriated" clause). Each of those bills was reported out of committee by recorded vote.

The committee also advanced measures on employer childcare incentives and small family day homes. House Bill 1771 would establish an employee childcare assistance pilot program that would require participating employers to contribute toward employees' childcare costs. House Bill 1833 would create a four‑year small family day home provider incentive…