Committee advances bill on school prayer, trims potential funding penalty to 12.5%

The Education Policy committee on Wednesday gave House Bill 43 a favorable report after adopting an amendment that narrows the bill's language on devotional activities in schools and caps a potential funding penalty.

Rep. Ingram, sponsor of House Bill 43, told the committee the measure originally "had a religious text which is a very broad thing and so we changed that took it out to a a prayer and a devotion and it asked school systems to track who wanted to participate and who didn't," and said the tracking requirement had been removed to reduce paperwork. The revised language asks for participation without the earlier administrative burden, she said.

The bill drew objections from several members over language in earlier drafts that would reduce state funding for noncompliant local school systems. "I just cannot see voting for something that is going to reduce funding to our kids," Representative Drummond said during the meeting, urging the sponsor to remove or revise any provision that would have that effect.

Representative Ross offered an amendment that replaces the stronger withholding language with a provision to "withhold up to 12.5% of the administrative state funding allocated to that" local board and that restricts any withholding to funds allocated for administrative or central office expenditures, not teacher salaries, classroom materials, transportation, or special education. Ross also emphasized that withheld funds could be released to local boards "upon verification by the state superintendent of education that the local board of education has come into compliance."

Members asked for concrete examples of how a 12.5% cap would affect large systems; sponsors and other members said the impact would vary by system because the cap is a share of state administrative funds and administrative budgets differ district to district. The amendment was moved by Representative Ross and seconded by Representative Pascal and adopted by voice vote.

After the amendment was added, the committee voted to give the bill a favorable report as amended. The transcript records a voice vote; no roll-call tally is provided.

The committee did not adopt immediate language fully resolving members' concerns about fiscal impact, and the sponsor said she would continue working with colleagues on amendments before floor consideration. The committee proceeded to the next items on its agenda.