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Senate Education committee clears multiple bills in executive action; one immunization-related bill tabled
Summary
During an executive-action session, the Senate Education Committee advanced a package of House bills — including the STARS Act — and tabled a bill about district immunization reporting. Several bills were carried out of committee for floor consideration.
The Montana Senate Education Committee held executive action on a slate of House bills, clearing several for the next step while tabling one measure addressing district immunization reports.
The committee voted to advance House Bill 252 — the STARS Act — which sponsors and staff said adjusts school funding incentives tied to teacher recruitment and pay and adds a “future-ready” funding component to the school funding formula. Mr. McCracken moved the bill during executive action and the committee chair declared the bill cleared for passage from the committee.
Members also took action on several other bills that the chair announced as passed out of committee: House Bill 471 (requirements on identity instruction and a parental opt-in), House Bill 509 (modifications to the quality educator loan assistance program), House Bill 600 (allowing schools to maintain stock albuterol for asthma emergencies), House Bill 786 (cleanup language for the Montana Arts Council), and House Bill 823 (changes to the membership of the state committee that prepares Perkins/CTE planning). By contrast, House Bill 364, which would have required school districts to report student immunization information to the Office of Public Instruction (or a specified state entity), drew explicit objections during discussion and the chair subsequently announced it was tabled.
Committee members used a mix of roll-call and voice votes. Where roll-call votes were read into the record, the transcript captures individual senator responses (see provenance). The chair named carriers for several bills to take to the Senate floor.
The committee paused executive action to resume floor business in the Senate and noted the items cleared in this session will continue in the legislative calendar.
Votes and formal actions taken in executive session are recorded in the committee transcript and are summarized above. For the committee-record details (individual roll-call statements and the committee’s verbal confirmations of each bill outcome), see the transcript excerpts cited in the provenance.
