Crossover Day saw the end for two education related bills in the Senate and one in the House, last week.

 

Senate Bill 134, which would prohibit the use of public school resources to advocate for an outcome in any partisan election or legislative vote, was overwhelming opposed by Senators on a 27-8 vote.

 

“We’re really squashing their free speech,” Sen. Troy Heinert said of the bill on the Senate floor. “We have now singled out one group of people we rely on for information.

 

ASBSD opposed the bill, with Executive Director Wade Pogany testifying during the bill’s committee hearing that SB 134 would have limited a board members “ability to govern” and the implications within aimed to stifle their advocacy efforts.

 

A second bill opposed by ASBSD went down in the Senate.

 

Senate Bill 85, which permits exemption of certain students from academic assessment tests, lost on a 25-9 vote.

 

The bill would have allowed five percent of the student body eligible for assessment to be exempt from the test based on a first come, first serve basis.

 

“If you support your local school district, you have to vote no,” Sen. Heinert said.

 

The final faltering education related bill was House Bill 1196, which prohibits the unauthorized use of electronic listening or recording devices in classrooms.

 

On a 49-19 vote, House members stopped the bill prohibiting visually or audibly recording in a classroom by an individual who has not received prior consent from a classroom teacher and school principal.

 

The bill added the dimension of a criminal penalty – Class 2 Misdemeanor – for non-students in violation of the law.

 

“We’re in the technology age,” Rep. Dan Kaiser said, “let’s allow them to make that recording.”

 

ASBSD supported the bill.

 

For updates on legislative session, check the ASBSD Blog, Twitter feed and Bill Tracker.