Board reviews bills, adopts positions on multiple state measures affecting school funding and operations

Todd, the district legislative presenter, summarized dozens of bills under consideration at the statehouse and recommended the district’s positions. He read bill numbers and brief descriptions and asked the board to stop him for discussion on items that required further attention.

Among the items discussed, the presenter called out a bill that would set school tax levies (noting an example increase of about 2.54 percent as described in the presentation), a bill to require cardiac emergency plans in schools that the district opposed because of an estimated annual cost ($70,000–$80,000 with a 0% funding increase), and a bill requiring free meals for students who qualify for reduced‑price meals that the district supports because it already provides that benefit locally.

Todd reviewed other bills that affect open‑meeting agendas, public records, special education funding, qualifications for elections and property‑tax relief proposals, and described the district’s positions on each (support, oppose or neutral as recorded in the meeting). Board members asked clarifying questions on procedural points and outcomes in committees; one discussed the governor’s county‑option sales‑tax proposal for property‑tax relief and whether to support the governor’s plan.

After discussion, a board member moved and the board approved the positions that had been taken to date and the additional changes noted at the meeting; the motion passed by voice vote. The board then recessed and said it would reconvene in regular session and proceed directly to an executive session.