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House rejects bill to let local school boards select state board candidates
Summary
House Bill 84, which would have shifted selection of state school board candidates to local school boards, failed on the House floor 15‑52 after debate about regional representation and feasibility in large rural districts.
The House on Feb. 12 rejected House Bill 84, a measure by Representative David Cox to have local school boards select the two candidates who would appear on the ballot for each region’s state school board seat.
Cox argued the change would increase local representation and reduce the influence of state‑level factional committees. He described the measure as a check on the statewide committee approach and said local boards are accountable to the people they represent.
Opponents questioned whether local boards could effectively select candidates in very large regions and whether the change would be practical in sparsely populated areas. Representative Snow and other members said the proposal might work in smaller counties but not for seats that cover a third of the state’s territory. Several members raised concerns about implementation and election costs.
The House voted the bill down, 15 yes to 52 no, and the measure was filed (failed to pass the House).
