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Committee OKs bill encouraging schools to facilitate Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts access
Summary
The House Education Committee advanced HB 198, a short bill urging schools to allow Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to engage students for civic education, with principals retaining discretion over timing and access.
The House Education Committee advanced HB 198 on a voice vote after a brief presentation from the bill's sponsor, Representative Chastain. The bill, filed as LC620116S, lists the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts among organizations identified in Title 36 of the U.S. Code as "patriotic societies" and asks schools to facilitate those groups' access to students for programs that encourage civic education.
Representative Chastain said the measure "is really about just trying to encourage some the schools to facilitate access for students to hear from the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts, participate in in the activities provided that they do in encouraging civic education." He noted that the bill passed the state senate in the prior year but did not reach final House action before adjournment.
The bill preserves local control: "the school principal still retains discretion on when they can engage students," Chastain said. Committee members asked clarifying questions about the legal reference; Chastain identified the statutory list as appearing in Title 36 of the U.S. Code.
There were no registered public speakers on the measure, and the committee approved the bill on a voice vote. The transcript records the chair calling for the question and members responding "aye," followed by the chair saying the bill was "on to full." No roll-call tally was recorded in the committee transcript.
The measure does not change school curriculum mandates, nor does it compel schools to introduce specific content; rather it encourages facilitation of outreach by organizations the bill lists and leaves scheduling and operational choices to school principals.
Action and next steps: HB 198 will move to the full House for further consideration; the committee record indicates passage at the committee stage but contains no committee amendments or a recorded roll-call vote.
Votes at a glance: HB 198 (LC620116S) ' Committee action: passed by voice vote; recorded mover/second not specified; roll-call tally not specified.
