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Committee tables bill that would set a legislative goal for media literacy instruction
Summary
House Bill 508, which would establish a legislative goal supporting media literacy instruction and references Board of Public Education administrative standards for library/media and information literacy, was tabled by a 10–5 roll‑call vote after committee members debated scope and whether the Legislature should dictate instructional details.
House Education Committee — The committee held executive action on House Bill 508, an act described by staff as establishing a legislative goal to support instruction in media literacy and referencing administrative rules from the Board of Public Education.
Representative Quordam (bill sponsor as recorded in committee staff’s description) introduced HB 508 and committee staff pointed members to Board of Public Education materials related to library, media and information literacy for K–12. Representative Strand said he was ‘very much in support of the objective’ but worried the bill’s specifics appeared focused in libraries rather than classroom literacy instruction and that the Legislature should be cautious about legislating curricular detail. Representative Esman said the bill strengthens media literacy and that he would replace cursive with media literacy in his priorities.
Representative Niku Kacos moved to table HB 508. The committee then conducted a roll‑call vote on the motion to table. The clerk recorded votes and the chair announced that the motion to table carried with 10 yes votes and 5 no votes. The chair instructed members to keep the bill folder noting HB 508 is a tabled bill.
Context and next steps: Committee discussion highlighted differing views on whether the Legislature should set instructional goals that appear to prescribe classroom content. HB 508 was tabled in committee pending any future action.
