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Committee votes to kill SB 294 on CTE lab‑fee policy after split debate
Summary
SB 294, which would have required regional agreements to address lab fees for CTE courses, failed after the committee approved a motion of Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL).
The Education Committee considered SB 294, a bill that would have required regional career and technical education agreements to include a plan for lab fees for CTE courses. Representative Peoples moved ITL (inexpedient to legislate); Representative McGuire seconded the motion.
Supporters of the bill and some committee members argued the bill clarifies who is responsible for lab fees and would make fees transparent to students and families. Representative Cofall said the lack of clarity now "suggests to me that we need to say that there should be a plan so that the answer is clear to students and families." Representative Lun(al) and others said lab fees can in practice be folded into tuition under existing rules.
Opponents warned the statutory language could create an unfunded mandate. Representative Damon said the provision "mandates lab fees be paid by the sending regional school" and described concern that the state's $9,000,000 tuition and transportation appropriation already does not fully cover current costs.
After debate the clerk called the roll. The committee approved the ITL motion by a 10‑8 vote; the chair announced "10 8 passes." The ITL result means the committee recommended not to move the bill forward.
