Senate advances House Bill 2 to increase State Board of Education districts to 15

House Bill 2, a measure to change State Board of Education districting, was read into the Senate and advanced for further consideration after a divided procedural vote on whether to read it for a third time.

Senator Barlow, a member of the committee that reviewed the proposal, said many rural constituents did not know who represented them on local school boards and argued increasing board membership from the current configuration to 15 would reduce district size and improve constituent access. "Better than half of the state is represented by one school board member," Barlow said, adding that the shift would reduce travel burdens for individual board members and make it easier for residents to know their member.

The senator acknowledged added administrative costs, estimating "the very, very top amount is around 80,000 more a year" while suggesting a more likely increase closer to $60,000. He said a nominating route and encouraging more candidates should also improve representation.

Senators indicated the committee anticipated making further edits to address concerns raised by colleagues, including Senators Levitt and Story, with those changes to be prepared for third reading. A point of order and call for the question led to a roll-call vote on whether HB2 should be read for the third time. The clerk recorded 15 ayes, 12 nays and 2 absentees; the presiding officer announced the motion carried and placed House Bill 2 on the third-reading calendar.

The bill will return to the calendar after staff draft the agreed amendments. The Senate did not adopt final redistricting language in this floor action; it advanced the bill's procedural step toward third reading.