A bill that would essentially lower the number of signatures needed to refer a school board’s start day decision moved another step closer to law on Monday.

 

House Bill 1164, which would require a start date referral petition to have five percent of the total number of registered voters voting in the previous general election, passed on a 5-1 vote by the Senate Local Government committee.

 

Rep. Christine Erickson, the bill’s sponsor, said HB 1164 does not set or determine a school’s start date, but “lowers the signatures” needed to refer it.

 

Previously, House Bill 1093, which prohibited public schools from starting a school term before the last Monday in August, was defeated by the House of Representatives.

 

Rep. Erickson said the bill requires referral petitions to be submitted with the required number of signatures within 20 days of the publish date of the school board minutes that contain the start date decision. She said school boards had the opportunity to make a decision on next year’s earlier than normal if they’re concerned about a referral process and vote potentially affecting a start date.

 

ASBSD is monitoring the bill, which now moves to the Senate floor for vote.

 

For updates on HB 1164, check the ASBSD Blog and Bill Tracker page.