Conference report for House Bill 1,002 restores several education provisions, including teacher-evaluation repeal and curricular/virtual policy changes

Representative Ben Behning presented the conference committee report for House Bill 1,002 to the Rules Committee, describing it as a restoration of much of the House-passed version with several additions and deletions made in conference.

Behning said the conference report incorporates language from House Bill 1,500 related to TAG (Talented and Gifted) that had been rolled into the budget, and includes the repeal of the teacher-evaluation system. It adds language from Senate Bill 358 related to virtual education and studies, and includes provisions on curricular fees that would allow some charges for advanced courses. The conference report also includes a provision limiting remediation spending to no more than 1% of a school district’s tuition support.

Behning listed several items the Senate removed that the conference report restores or modifies — for example, he said the Senate removed language about teacher-preparation programs that would inform preservice candidates about trauma recognition; Behning said he restored that language.

He told the committee that the bill passed the House with bipartisan support though Representative Smith did not vote in favor. In committee discussion, members asked about collective-bargaining language; Behning said there is no collective-bargaining language in the conference report.

Representative Seiger (the member making the procedural motion) moved to suspend the House rule to allow the conference committee report for House Bill 1,002 to be considered after April 15, 2025; the motion passed on a committee vote recorded in the transcript as 7 to 2.

The committee’s action was procedural; the conference committee report resolves conflicts and restores or modifies multiple education policies but must still proceed through the regular legislative process to take effect.