Senate committee approves changes to decennial school-funding study, restores public members

The Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee voted May 20 to pass House Bill 153 (Rep. Beattie) after amendments that change membership rules and expand the decennial study's remit.

Committee counsel Mister McCracken said the bill expands the focus of the mandated decennial school-funding study to create a working group on excellence and innovation in education, revises committee membership, and includes a small appropriation so the commission can begin work in May and June rather than waiting until July.

A floor amendment removed several mandatory named presiding officials from statute, restored four public member seats, and modified appointment deadlines that were otherwise set to expire on April 1. The committee then adopted a conceptual amendment to restore explicit bipartisan composition for the legislative seats (three majority and three minority picks in each chamber). Senators voiced concern that naming specific individuals in code risked locking in appointments and that legislative leadership would determine nominees; others argued statutory bipartisan parity remained important to older practice.

After debate and roll-call votes on the amendments, the committee concurred in the bill as amended by a 9–5 vote. Chair Fuller said he would carry the bill to the floor and asked sponsors and staff to work on enrollment and technical fixes before release.

The committee record shows the bill now directs the commission to consider specific factors when reviewing funding formulas and creates a transition window for appointments, but the transcript does not specify the appropriation amount included for May–June work.