House debates $1.5M proposal to reimburse districts for verified school fee waivers; bill circled for further work

Lawmakers on Friday debated House Bill 68, which would create a $1.5 million dedicated fund at the State Office of Education to reimburse school districts for verified student fee waivers and require additional reporting on fees.

Sponsor Representative Luana Shurtleff described a long history of fee waiver concerns, saying some schools have lost tens of thousands of dollars to waivers and that verified waivers require documentation. The bill would reimburse districts up to $40 per verified fee waiver and require reporting to ensure the money follows the fee waivers to the schools that granted them. "This is a hidden problem in our schools," Shurtleff said, noting instances where a single high school lost over $68,000 in waivers.

Opponents on the floor argued the state should not substitute for local responsibility. Representative Ron Bigelow opposed the bill’s approach, saying districts that impose fees should either pay or seek voter approval to change local tax levies: "I am of the opinion that this school district should pay for all of these fees." Supporters countered that many districts with high waiver loads cannot absorb the cost and that the proposed reimbursement would help struggling schools maintain programs and equitable access.

Representative Draxler offered amendment #3 to ensure reimbursement reaches the individual schools that granted the waivers rather than being distributed only at district level; the amendment was adopted on the floor. After additional discussion the bill was circled for further consideration.

What happens next: HB 68 was circled for later consideration so sponsors and opponents can address outstanding concerns and cost estimates. The bill's sponsors urged continued work on statewide fee‑policy solutions.