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Board hears legislative updates: cell-phone ban, striking-worker benefits and potential Medicaid cuts flagged as risks
Summary
At the end of the training, the board chair reviewed state and federal legislation to watch — a cell-phone-in-schools bill declared dead but possibly replaced by an executive order, an Oregon bill on unemployment benefits for striking workers, and a House budget bill that may cut Medicaid and SNAP — and outlined possible implications for district reimbursement and services.
Board chair Patra Naca briefed members on several legislative items the district should track and explained why they might matter to Nyssa SD 26’s budget and operations.
"The bill banning cell phones in schools is dead," Naca said, adding that "it's been said that Governor Kotek may sign an executive order to ban cell phones in schools," a development she said the board should monitor for how it could be implemented locally.
Naca also raised a state-level bill that would allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits. She warned that, if enacted, such a law could change district finances: "If this bill passes, then the school district is going to have to take money that should be used to educate children to pay striking workers," she said, noting the district would want to understand any fiscal obligations that flow from the proposal.
Finally, Naca summarized a recent federal development: the House of Representatives passed a large budget bill that, she said, includes provisions that could reduce Medicaid and SNAP funding. "One of the things that that federal legislation does is cut Medicaid," she said, adding that districts sometimes rely on Medicaid reimbursements for services such as therapy, and reductions could affect budgets.
Board members treated the update as informational; there were no formal votes or decisions tied to these items during the session. Members noted they would continue to track the bills and discuss any formal responses or advocacy steps in later meetings.
