House education panel lays over bill requiring select legislators to shadow educators for 12 hours

Representative Myers introduced House File 412, which would require members of education policy or finance committees to shadow an educator, administrator or school finance director for 12 hours over a two‑year period. Chair Bennett laid the bill over as amended for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill or further consideration.

The bill’s author, Representative Myers, said the requirement came from educators, administrators and community members and is intended to “amplify the voice of teachers and the work that they do.” Alex Hozleton, a social studies teacher and lobbyist with Education Minnesota, testified in support, saying, “As a teacher, I want to trust that the very people who are making critical decisions have some hours in the classroom.” Scott Kronquist of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts told the committee that spending time in schools is “the equivalent of establishing ongoing professional development for legislators.”

The committee adopted two author and member amendments during the hearing. An author’s amendment (A3) was adopted to place the bill in the author’s preferred form, and Representative Lee Jordan offered and won a friendly amendment (A1) extending the requirement to all members of the Legislature (the amendment was adopted). A second Jordan amendment (A2) was withdrawn. Representative Myers said the bill allows members to use existing interim per diem days to fulfill the time requirement.

During member discussion, Representative Keeler raised practical concerns about legislator time, expense and childcare, noting that serving as a legislator is a part‑time job with many members holding other employment and that legislators already have 20 interim per diem days. Keeler asked how mileage and childcare costs would be covered and whether fulfilling the requirement would be assumed to come from the 20 day per diem allotment. Representative Myers responded that the bill was drafted with nonpartisan staff and that per diem days were expected to cover the time. Representative Green raised concerns about how classroom observations would be arranged, student privacy protections and whether legislators could choose which classrooms or teachers to observe; she noted some districts have policies limiting unannounced observations.

The chair officially laid over House File 412 as amended for possible inclusion in an omnibus or further consideration. The hearing record shows support from educators and administrators who said the experience would make legislators’ committee questions more informed; committee members asked for further work on logistics, privacy, equity and financial details.

Votes and formal actions recorded in the hearing: A3 author’s amendment — adopted; A1 (Representative Lee Jordan) — adopted; A2 — withdrawn; bill — laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill or future consideration.

Ending: Committee members said they would keep working on the bill’s implementation details, including per diem use, childcare and safeguards for student privacy, before it returns for further action.