Legislative Update
AEA-Based Mental Health Program Included in House Education Spending Bill
On a vote of 58-38 the House approved that chamber’s education spending plan for the 2020 fiscal year.
Included in the bill is a new appropriation of $3 million for the establishment of a Children’s Mental Health School Based Training and Support Program.
Of the appropriation, $1.4 million is allocated to the area education agencies to provide mental health awareness training for educators and school. $1.4 million is allocated to the area education agencies in the manner determined by the area education agencies to be used to identify a range of approaches to best meet the mental health needs of students and to strengthen community support for students. Finally $200,000 is allocated to the area education agencies to create a clearinghouse of mental health resources for use by schools and community providers.
The bill now moves to the Senate.
Second Procedural Hurdle Arrives at the Statehouse
The so called “second funnel,” the final procedural hurdle for all non-money bills, arrived at the Statehouse with close of business yesterday.
The “second funnel” is date by which Senate files need to be approved by at least one committee in the House and House filed need to be approved by at least one Senate committee to remain eligible for further consideration this legislative session.
Ways and Means, Appropriations and Government Oversight committee bills are not governed by the “funnel” rules.
Bill of interest:
SF 547 (formerly SF 372) ESGs (A) – This bill provides education savings grants for pupils attending accredited nonpublic schools or specified public schools and establishes an education savings grant fund.
Appropriations subcommittee: Breitbach, Celsi and Kraayenbrink.
SF 500 (formerly SF 125) Needle Exchange Pilot Program (M) – The bill creates a needle exchange pilot program to be administered by DPH in cooperation with the department of public safety, the governor’s office of drug control policy, cities, counties, and nongovernmental organizations.
On Senate debate calendar
SF 479 (formerly SSB 1197 – Children’s Mental Health (F) – The bill relates to mental health and disability services including the establishment of a children’s behavioral health system and a children’s behavioral health system state board, and requires certain children’s behavioral health core services be provided.
On Senate debate calendar
SF 342 – Alcohol Overdose Reporting Protection (F) – The bill provides that a person under the age of 21 shall not be charged or prosecuted for public intoxication, possession of alcohol under the legal age, use of a driver’s license by an underage person to obtain alcohol, or possession of an open container in a motor vehicle, if the person in good faith sought emergency assistance for the person or another person due to an alcohol overdose or because the person or other person is a victim of assault, sexual abuse, or human trafficking.
On Senate Debate Calendar
HF 758 (formerly HSB 248) – Education Appropriations (M) – Included in this 30-page bill is a new appropriation of $3 million for training teachers and educators to detect potential mental health issues in students and to determine follow-up actions.
Approved by the House 58-38
HF 690 (formerly HSB 206) – Children’s Mental Health (F) – The bill establishes a children’s behavioral health system and a children’s behavioral health system state board, and requires certain children’s behavioral health core services be provided. The bill also includes the establishment of a single statewide 24-hour mental health crisis telephone hotline.
Passed the House 83-14.
HF 684 (formerly HSB 175) – Alcohol Overdose Reporting Protection (F) – The bill provides that a person under the age of 21 shall not be charged or prosecuted for public intoxication, possession of alcohol under the legal age, use of a driver’s license by an underage person to obtain alcohol, or possession of an open container in a motor vehicle, if the person in good faith sought emergency assistance for the person or another person due to an alcohol overdose or because the person or other person is a victim of assault, sexual abuse, or human trafficking.
On House debate calendar
HF 673 (formerly HF 349) – School Radon Testing (M) – This bill requires the board of directors of each public school district to have a short-term test for radon gas performed at each attendance center under its control at least once by July 1, 2022, and at least once every five years thereafter, and following new construction of an attendance center or additions, renovations, or repairs to an attendance center. If the results of such a test are at or above four picocuries per liter, the bill requires the board to have a second short-term test performed at the attendance center within 90 days. If the results of a second test are at or above four picocuries per liter, the bill requires the board of directors of the public school district to retain a person credentialed to perform radon abatement measures to develop a radon mitigation plan within 90 days. The radon mitigation plan must be implemented within one year.
Approved by Appropriations subcommittee
HF 598 (formerly HF 197) – Sibling Class Assignments (M) – The bill allows the parents or guardians to request that twins (or any other level of multiples) be placed in the same classroom or different classrooms. Unless the principal determines that the requested placement would create a classroom disruption, the request would be honored.
After the first grading period of the school year the principal and the students teachers can determine that the placement was disruptive and the students can be placed in different classes.
Passed the House 91-5. On Senate debate calendar.
Bills no longer eligible for consideration following the second procedural deadline:
HF 419 (formerly HSB 60) – Music Therapist Certification (M) – This bill requires any person claiming to be a music therapist to hold a music therapist board-certified credential granted by the certification board for music therapists or a professional designation in good standing listed on the national music therapy registry.
Passed the House 96-3
SF 438 (formerly SSB 1190) – Student Health, School Omnibus (M) – This omnibus bill strikes current law that requires a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in public and accredited nonpublic elementary schools or high schools to provide evidence to the school that the child has had a dental screening, a child’s vision screening and blood lead test. Instead the bill requires the person who performs the child’s screenings and tests to submit the information regarding completion to the department of public health.
Approved by the Senate 32-17. Approved by House education subcommittee
SF 376 (formerly SF 270) – Health Education Requirements (F) – This bill adds mental health awareness, coping skills, and suicide prevention to the subject matter that must be included in the unit of health education which school districts and accredited nonpublic schools must offer and teach in grades 7-12.
Referred back to Education
SF 160 (formerly SSB 1042) – School Emergency Plans (M) – The bill requires school boards and authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools to consider recommendations from the department of public safety relating to the development of high-quality emergency operations plans.
Approved by the Senate 48-0. Referred to House Education Committee