Committee clears substitute bill on release-time courses with background checks and liability protections

The House Education Committee removed House Bill 133 from the table, considered a substitute (LC492330S), and advanced the revised measure that makes several changes to statutes governing release-time courses for students.

The substitute changes include: replacing mandatory language with permissive language (local education agencies “may” adopt release-time policies rather than “shall”); adding a requirement that policies include criminal records checks for individuals providing release-time instruction; and adding a provision that a local education agency, or its officials or employees, “shall not be liable to any civil action for injury allegedly arising from a student’s transit to or from a release-time course when private transportation is used under a release-time policy” adopted under the statute. The sponsor said the substitute reflects committee input and emergency concerns raised in prior subcommittee and committee discussions.

Committee members praised the changes. Several members specifically signaled that the “may” language and the criminal-records-check addition addressed earlier concerns. The sponsor said the updated substitute removed a “Christmas tree” of unrelated provisions and that the changes were made after discussions with committee members.

The committee moved and voted to advance the substitute; a motion to do pass was seconded and the committee recorded an aye voice vote. The transcript does not record roll-call tallies.

Why it matters: the substitute clarifies local discretion on release-time courses, strengthens background-check requirements for outside instructors, and adds liability protections for school systems and employees when private transportation is used under approved release-time policies.