Richland 2 hears legislative snapshot; trustees urged to push crossing-guard bill

At the April 28 work session, Mr. Dennis (speaker 5) delivered a legislative update noting roughly 17 bills the district is monitoring and urging community outreach on a particularly detailed crossing-guard bill.

"There's 17 bills on this slide," Mr. Dennis said, then summarized bills that could affect district policy, staffing and budgets: parental-rights bills under consideration in both chambers, House proposals on unstructured recess and nonteaching duties that could require additional staff or pay, and House Bill 3,258 (Mobile Panic Alert System) which the district already uses and which appears likely to receive state funding for recurring updates. He said the Smart Heart Act, which mandates AED placements, has been signed by the governor and will take effect in July 2026.

Mr. Dennis highlighted a crossing-guard bill (House Bill 4,677 as noted in the update) that would certify crossing guards and allow them to direct traffic, increase penalties for passing stopped school buses, and otherwise expand local authority. He urged residents to contact legislators: "I really suggest everybody reach out to your legislators on this bill."

Mr. Dennis also noted the state budget has passed the House and includes a proposed hold-harmless provision for school districts, but Senate action and possible amendments could change the final outcome. Board members thanked Mr. Dennis and discussed continued outreach to senators and representatives to explain district impacts.

The board will continue to monitor bills and consider formal positions if and when the legislature advances measures that require district implementation or funding changes.