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Conference committee moves SB 381 into shell, debates civics test format and accommodations
Summary
A legislative conference committee agreed to place Senate Bill 381 into shell 2412 and debated whether the proposed high-school civics graduation exam should mirror the U.S. naturalization test (20 randomized oral questions, 12 correct to pass) or retain a 100-question model; questions about administration, who selects items, and accommodations were left for later drafting.
A legislative conference committee agreed to place Senate Bill 381 into shell bill 2412 on procedural grounds and spent most of the meeting debating how a proposed civics test for graduation should be structured and administered.
A Senate lawmaker opened the session by proposing that "we propose putting 381 in 2412," a procedural move both chambers said they would accept. The same lawmaker said the Senate wanted to remove references to "elementary" grades from the bill and restore language making the requirement a civics test "that it's the civics test and the national standard of pass rate."
A House lawmaker said the House had discussed the issue outside the room and was "agreeable," but stressed that, if the committee modeled the exam on the national naturalization test, statutory language and ensuing regulations should preserve accommodations such as language options for newcomers. "In the national test,…
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