Votes at a glance: Joint Education Committee interim directives, May 29, 2025

The Joint Education Committee took multiple formal actions during its May 29 interim meeting. Below are each directive or drafting instruction recorded by the committee, with the committee outcome and the relevant meeting context.

1) School-discipline bill draft and working group (passed) Motion: Direct LSO to draft a school-discipline bill based on the committee’s conceptual draft (replace corporal-punishment immunity with a different framework; formalize classroom removal process; include parental-notification timing; require districts to adopt cell-phone policies unless exempted). Mover: Senator Brennan (concept originator) Second: Senator Rothfuss Outcome: Passed (voice vote and recorded amendments). Key amendments adopted: (a) removal of language preserving corporal-punishment immunity; (b) requirement that parents be notified in a timely manner (committee discussed "within the school day"); (c) removal of numeric penalties for teacher removals and instead leaving teacher remediation/evaluation to principals/PD processes. Notes: Co-chairs to convene an informal working group to refine the draft before the next meeting. LSO to circulate draft for stakeholder review.

2) Teacher bill-of-rights concept and working…