By Otto Fajen, MNEA Legislative Director
SESSION CONTINUES
The 2023 legislative session continued this week. Both chambers were in session, primarily for the introduction of new bills. Session for next week will be shortened by the observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and the chambers will convene at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 17.
The House debated and adopted House Resolution 11 (Patterson) on January 11. HR 11 revises the House Standing Committees. Most of the floor discussion concerned changes to the rule establishing the dress code for women Representatives when they are on the floor during House session. As amended, however, the new rule does not significantly alter the dress code for women.
HR 11 does not change the committees pertaining to education. The Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education and the Committee on Higher Education will continue this year with the same name and the same duties as last year. Committee lists are not yet published, but committee chairs have been designated. Rep. Brad Pollitt will serve as Chair of the Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education.
The Senate debated Senate Resolution (SR) 7, offered by Sen. Karla May, on January 9. The resolution would have revised Senate Rule 29 regarding Senate seniority. Seniority is the primary factor used in selecting Senators' offices and Senate seats in the chamber. The resolution would have revised the role that the party caucuses have in determining Senate seniority. However, the Senate defeated the Resolution.
HONESTY IN EDUCATION/PARENT INFORMATION ACCESS
The Senate Committee on Education and Workforce Development will meet for the first time this session on January 18.
At this meeting, the committee will two hear bills, SB 4 (Koenig) and SB 89 (Ben Brown), on the topics of curriculum restrictions and parent access to school information. The Association has concerns that those bills would adversely affect the freedom of teachers to provide the honest education our students deserve and interfere with existing policies respecting student and school privacy and opposes both bills.
The regular meeting time of the committee this session will be Tuesday morning from 8-10 a.m.
The committee roster was published this week and will consist of the following Senators:
Andrew Koenig, Chair
Rick Brattin, Vice-Chair
Lauren Arthur,
Doug Beck,
Elaine Gannon,
Denny Hoskins,
Greg Razer,
Nick Schroer, and
Curtis Trent.
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANS ATHLETE PARTICIPATION
The early-filed Senate bills pertaining to restrictions on trans athlete participation were referred to newly created Committee on Emerging Issues on January 12. No hearing is currently set in this committee on those bills.
The committee will consist of the following Senators:
Justin Brown, Chair
Mike Moon, Vice-Chair
Elaine Gannon,
Andrew Koenig,
Tracy McCreery,
Greg Razer, and
Nick Schroer.