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Committee adopts DOE cleanup amendment; HB 2533 advances after department briefing
Summary
House Bill 2533, a Department of Education cleanup bill, had amendment 16389 adopted and was advanced after DOE staff described changes including flexible summer-program funds, a virtual enrollment cap per LEA, and consolidating the dyslexia council into the larger Students With Disabilities advisory council.
The House Education Committee adopted an amendment and advanced House Bill 2533, a Department of Education cleanup package, after hearing a departmental briefing on substantive changes and receiving member questions about several provisions.
Chair and members described HB 2533 as a multi-item cleanup bill from the Department of Education. Department staff Emily Cornute and Anna Hall summarized highlights: increased flexibility to use funds originally appropriated for summer learning camps throughout the year for fourth- and fifth-grade tutoring; clarified relationships and responsibilities between the department and administratively attached entities (state board, textbook commission, charter commission) through a new definition of “administratively attached;” clearer inclusion of charter schools where appropriate; specification that full-time for paid parental leave be clarified and reimbursements filed within the fiscal year; and a virtual-enrollment cap of 1,500 students per LEA for virtual schools.
The department also explained that the bill eliminates the separate Dyslexia Advisory Council but transfers its duties into the larger Students with Disabilities advisory council, citing appointment challenges and about $40,000 in projected annual savings. Members questioned removal of a statutory annual TISA review requirement and other reporting provisions; department staff said statutory review boards and annual reporting remain and that the consolidation is intended to streamline work.
The committee adopted amendment 16389 to remove conflicts with other bills and then voted to advance HB 2533 to Government Operations (13 ayes, 1 nay, 3 present not voting recorded). Members asked for follow-up on several clarifications, including TISA review language and dyslexia-related stakeholder concerns.
