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BESE committee adopts legislative work plan and prepares to track bills for 2025 short session
Summary
BESE's Legislative and Government Affairs Committee approved a Gantt-based work plan for the 2025 short (fiscal) legislative session, highlighted key dates (executive budget Feb. 28; session Apr. 14–June 12), and instructed members to use a shared LDOE spreadsheet and weekly officer calls to monitor bills and coordinate testimony.
The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's Legislative and Government Affairs Committee approved its 2025 legislative work plan and discussed a process for tracking and responding to bills during the short, fiscal session.
Committee leaders told members they will rely on a Gantt chart and a shared spreadsheet maintained by Ben Lemoine at the Department to track what the department and BESE support or oppose. The chair emphasized the executive budget presentation on Feb. 28 as a key milestone and said the 2025 fiscal session will run April 14 through June 12.
"These dates are extremely important," the chair said, urging members to contact their education committee legislators and use the shared tracking sheet. Staff said they will hold weekly officer calls with LDOE and suggested committee officers and staff will flag bills that require BESE testimony or member presence in committee hearings.
Members volunteered to help contact representatives and stressed that monitoring must continue beyond the session: if an unfavorable bill is enacted, BESE may still engage with the governor's office on vetoes after adjournment. Staff said they have already submitted a budget request to the division that reflects both scenarios (maintaining current programs and an alternate budget assuming 8(g) elimination) and will report back after internal budget hearings in January.
The committee approved Item 2.2 (the work plan) with no objection. Staff and officers were tasked with producing a contact list for members, sharing the departmental spreadsheet, and convening weekly calls during session to provide real-time updates and coordinate board involvement.
