The Week In Review and Looking Forward into Next Week

House Education Budget Unveiled

The House Education Appropriations Committee released and approved their version of the education budget for the 2019-2021 biennium. The budget was unveiled at the Committee meeting on Friday and was passed after a number of amendments were voted on and incorporated into the final Committee version.  The Education budget documents can be found here.  

This week also marked the final date by which bills can be introduced by General Assembly Members this session.  The House introduced an additional twenty four K-12 education bills, bringing the total to 203 this session.  The House and Senate have filed a total of 333 K-12 education bills since the session began in January and now have until May 9^th to move them across Chambers. After that date, only those bills can be considered by the other Chamber other than bills with a financial component.

Budget Process: Release of the House Education Budget 

The House Appropriations Education Committee met on Friday, April 26 to review and discuss items directly related to the education budget. The House Education Budget was then released later Friday morning and amendments were taken up until noon on Friday. 

Next week, the full House Appropriations Committee will be taking up the 2019 Appropriations Act.  The final step in the House process will include reporting the budget to the floor for a vote before moving it to the Senate for consideration.

Notes:

• Amounts listed below are in addition to the base budget and technical adjustments.
• Any salary items will be reflected in the final House budget.

Important Budget Resources:   Here is the link to House education budget documents.  NEW - HB 966: 2019 Appropriations Act here.  NEW - House Education Budget Bill here. NEW - House Education Special Provisions here. Education Items in the Governor's budget here.  Highlights of the NC Public School Budget 2019 here. NC State Board of Education Budget Response here. NC Department of Public Instruction #NC2030 vision here. Public School Capital Outlays Chart here. NEW - North Carolina School Finances website here.

SBE Work Session and Planning Meeting   The SBE will hold their Spring work/planning session and their monthly meeting next week on April 30, May 1, and May 2. The work sessions will be held the first two days, April 30 and May 1, and the monthly meeting will be held on the 2nd.   The agendas can be found through the links below:   Agenda for April 30 here. Agenda for May 1 located here. Agenda for May 2 located here.

Relevant Bills with Action

K-12 Public Education Bills that have become Session Law

• No K-12 Public Education Bills became Session Law this week.

LINK to all bills that are now Session Law.

Education Bill Crossover To date this session, 43 education bills have passed from one chamber to the other, with 1 education bill becoming session law thus far.  Crossover is the long session date by which legislation without a financial component must pass from the originating chamber into the other chamber, in order for that legislation to be considered during the short session.    The K-12 Public Education bills that made crossover this week are listed below: HB 105: Red Light Cameras HB 434: Suicide Risk Ref./Mental Health/Teen Violence HB 493: Abuse & Neglect Resources HB 521: Transitional License/Teacher from Other State HB 563: 30 Min. Duty-Free Lunch for Teachers HB 653: School Transp. Personnel Salary Changes HB 664: myFutureNC/Postsecondary Attainment Goal   Link to K-12 Public Education Bills that made Crossover.    The 2019 Crossover Deadline is Thursday, May 9.

2019 Long Session link for bills impacting K-12 education.

Bills Heard in the Senate/House Chamber or in a Committee This Week: 

House Bills (Excluding School Calendar Flexibility Bills)   

1. HB 375: Authorize Teacher-Government Employee Housing/Bertie
2. HB 697: State Surplus Prop. Computers for Nonprofits

New Bills Filed This Week: 

House Bills (Excluding School Calendar Flexibility Bills)    Week of April 22-26

1. HB 946: Free Lunch for Some Students/Stop Lunch Shame
2. HB 947: Free Breakfast and Lunch in K-12 Pub. Schools.
3. HB 948: Funds for Universal NC Pre-K.
4. HB 950: Funds for Triangle Literacy Council.
5. HB 953: Funding for Students with Disabilities/Method.
6. HB 955: Sam's Law.
7. HB 956: Funds/Youth Villages and Other Purposes.
8. HB 961: Funds for Workforce Development/Hospitality.
9. HB 965: Restore Single-Stream Funding for LME/MCOs.
   
10. HB 966: 2019 Appropriations Act
11. HB 976: Funds/NC New Teacher Support Program.
12. HB 977: Develop Homegrown Teachers-Pilot.
13. HB 978: NC Teaching Fellows Enhancements/Funds.
14. HB 979: High-Quality Teacher Professional Development.
15. HB 980: Reward Excellence in Teaching - NBPTS.
16. HB 981: Grow Your Own/Highly Effective Teachers/Cadet.
17. HB 982: Expanding Access to AP Courses Pilot Program.
18. HB 985: Rural Model/Out Teach/Pilot Funds.
19. HB 986: Restore LEA Sales Tax Benefit.
20. HB 987: State Employees/Paid Parental Leave.
21. HB 996: Top-Performing Students/UNC Tuition Scholar.
22. HB 1000: Competency-Based Math Pilot.
23. HB 1004: High Point LEAP/Funds for Literacy Programs.
    
24. HB 1007: STEM Elective Course Using Ballistics Science.

Senate Bills (Excluding School Calendar Flexibility Bills)

• The Senate ended their bill filing for the 2019 Long Session on Wednesday, April 3, 2019
• Total Senate bills filed - 673 
• Total Senate bills affecting K-12 public education - 129

Next Week's Education-Related Legislative Calendar

 April 29 - May 3 Legislative Meeting Calendar

Monday, April 29, 2019 

    2:00 p.m.: Senate Session Convenes     Skeleton Session                       Senate | Audio

    2:00 p.m.: House Session Convenes      Skeleton Session                        House | Audio

    3:00 p.m.: House: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House 1228/1327 LB | Audio

• HB 375: Authorize Teacher-Gov't Emp'ee Housing/Bertie.
• HB 668: Various Higher Education Changes.
• HB 31: Allow Durham Pub. Schools to Provide Housing.

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

   9:00 a.m.: Senate: Rules and Operations of the Senate                 1027/1128 LB | Audio 

• SB 438: Excellent Public Schools Act of 2019.
• SB 374: Repeal Risky Retirement Payments.

   1:00 p.m.: House: Education K-12                                                          643 LOB | Audio

• HB 714: Competency-Based Assessments.
  
• HB 723: Math or Science Credit for Computer Science.
• HB 798: Low-Performing Schools.
• HB 859: Classroom Supplies to Teachers.
• HB 895: Opportunity Gap Task Force.
• HB 924: Teacher Contract Changes.
• HB 933: Study Career/Coll. Read. in Perf. Grades.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

   11:00 a.m.: Senate: Education/Higher Education                           1027/1128 LB | Audio

• SB 30: 33rd Senatorial District Local Act-1.
• SB 219: Modify Teacher Licensing Requirements.
• SB 354: Student Notice/Charter School Closure/Restr.
• SB 366: 9th/10th Grade/College Transfer Pathways.
• SB 448: Amend Appt For Compact on Education/Military.
• SB 500: Modify Advanced Math Course Enrollment.

North Carolina General Assembly 

ONLINE RESOURCES:

• Highlights of the NC Public School Budget 2018
• DPI/SBE Reports to the General Assembly
• About the Legislature
• Who Represents Me?
• How a Law is Made
• House Member List
• Senate Member List
• North Carolina Constitution
• House Page Program
• Senate Page Program
• Governor’s Page Program
• Youth Legislative Assembly
• Educational Resources
• An Introduction to the NC General Assembly – Elementary School Ages
• NC Government – Middle School Ages

Legislative Info and Acronyms  This section includes details pertaining to acronyms and bill information referenced throughout the K-12 Education Legislative Update newsletters.   Biennium- A two-year term of legislative activity Public Bill- Legislation enacted into law that applies to the public at large Local Bill- Legislation put into law that has limited application (How many counties)- Local bills do not have to be signed by the governor Sponsor- The legislator who presents a bill or resolution for consideration Resolution- A document that expresses the sentiment or intent of the legislature or a chamber. Resolutions, when finalized, go to the Secretary of State   Glossary of Legislative Terms- LINK   DPI = NC Department of Public Instruction LEA = Local Education Agency NCGA = North Carolina General Assembly LB/LOB = Legislative Building/Legislative Office Building  SBE = North Carolina State Board of Education   AB = Agency Bill HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill JR = Joint Resolution SL = Session Law GS = General Statute  PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute  FY = Fiscal Year

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONTACT INFORMATION:

• Cecilia Holden  – Director of Government and Community Relations |  919-807-3406
• Anne Murtha  –  Legislative Specialist  |  919-807-3403
• Greear Webb – Legislative Intern

To view previous 2019 Weekly Legislative Updates, click here.

 The NC Department of Public instruction offers a number of topics for subscription.

• To subscribe to the Weekly Legislative Update, click here.
• To subscribe to other NC Department of Public Instruction topics, click here.