Senate sends on one-time funding

 

Senators passed a bill that appropriates one-time dollars for education on a 33-0 vote.

 

House Bill 1137 would appropriate $5.8 million to K-12 education, which would equal approximately $45 per student, $200,000 to CTE programs and $250,000 for the Teach for America program.

 

House Appropriations committee members passed similar bills – Senate Bills 90 and 138 – on Monday, without the TFA appropriation, however. The TFA appropriation was introduced with $100,000 attached, but an amendment was presented and passed for $250,000.

 

The one-time appropriation for TFA garnered the most discussion from Senators debating the need to provide funding after the Senate Appropriations committee tabled a bill that would have appropriated funds for TFA earlier in session. ASBSD opposed the bill.

 

“We have already debated the merits of (TFA),” Sen. Billie Sutton (21) said. “It failed (in committee) with a dollar in it.”

 

HB 1137 now moves back to the House for vote and may be appointed to a conference committee.

 

ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

 

House passes and tables one-time funding bills

 

Representatives passed an amended version of Senate Bill 90 to include $500,000 in one-time funding for classroom innovation grants to go along with the $5.8 million for K-12 education and $200,000 to CTE programs. The bill passed on a 65-4 vote.

 

“It’s our way of sending one-time money over for education,” Rep. Justin Cronin (23) said.

 

In addition, Senate Bill 138, which was introduced on the floor with similar funding provisions, was tabled on a 67-2 vote. Both SB 90 and 138 passed House Appropriations on Monday.

 

SB 90 heads across the hall for a vote by Senators and may be sent to conference committee between Representatives and Senators. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

 

For updates on the bills, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.