The Week In Review and Looking Forward into Next Week

Safety Mini-Budget Bill Now Session Law 2019-222 

The General Assembly has been busy this week, with a continued focus on completing their work around redistricting.  Little attention was centered around K-12 education with the exception of the mini-budget focused on school safety funding HB 75 School Safety Funds, Programs, and Reports. While there has been no movement on HB 966 2019 Appropriations Act - the larger budget bill, this school safety mini-budget passed the Senate and was signed by the Governor on Wednesday. No conference reports were unveiled this week by the conference committee for SB 522 Low-Perf. Schools /Stand. Student Conduct (Innovative School District modifications) nor the conference committee for SB 199 Child Sex Abuse/Strengthen Laws. 

The State Board of Education held a called meeting on Thursday, September 19^th at 11 AM to vote on the emergency rules for Accountability Measures and Sanctions for Educator Preparation Programs, as required by HB 107 / Session Law 2019-149 PED Oversight EPP Changes. The agenda and meeting materials can be found here.

Both the House and Senate have left town with no agenda items on either the Senate Session scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m. or the House Session scheduled for Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. next week. The legislative calendar can be found here.

Emergency Rules: HB 107 Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs)

The State Board held a called a meeting this Thursday, during which they considered and approved the emergency rules and policy revisions for SL 2019-149 (HB 107) PED Oversight/EPP Changes.  These rules specify the requirements for the accountability measures and sanctions for EPPs and the associated report due was approved with changes.    LINK - SBE Called Meeting on September 19, 2019

Status of Mini Budgets

 LINK to History of Budget Resources

What Happens to Mini-Budgets if HB 966 Budget Bill Becomes Law?

STATE BUDGET ACT APPLICABILITY – The following language is included in all Mini-Budgets:

“If any provision of the following acts and G.S. 143C-5-4 are in conflict, the provisions of this act shall prevail. The appropriations and the authorizations to allocate and spend funds which are set out in this act shall remain in effect until the Current Operations Appropriations Act for the applicable fiscal year becomes law, at which time that act shall become effective and shall govern appropriations and expenditures. When the Current Operations Appropriations Act for that fiscal year becomes law, the Director of the Budget shall adjust allotments to give effect to that act from July 1 of the fiscal year.”

2019 New K-12 Education Laws

• SL 2019-222: (HB 75)  School Safety Funds, Programs, and Reports - An act to appropriate funds for school safety, require an annual report on school resource officers, establish certain school safety grants programs, require the development of a recommended school mental health crisis response program, require annual reports on school mental health support personnel. BILL SUMMARY

• List of New K-12 Education Laws and Chaptered Resolutions here.
• Complete List of Bills that are Session Law here.

For complete bill history and summaries, click on the bill link.

Relevant Bills with Action

Education Bills Vetoed by the Governor This Session

• HB 966: 2019 Appropriations Act  VETO Message | House veto override on 9/11/2019
• Base budget appropriations for current operations of state agencies, departments, and institutions. Governor Cooper’s veto message states his disappointment in the budget based on differing priorities between the Governor and General Assembly.
• SB 392: Various Charter School Changes  BILL SUMMARY   VETO Message
• Makes various changes to the laws affecting charter schools. Governor Cooper’s veto message states his concern about the lift on enrollment caps for virtual charter schools due to the low performance of schools in this pilot.
• SB 438: Excellent Public Schools Act of 2019  VETO Message
• An act to modify the implementation of the North Carolina Read to Achieve Program in order to attain statewide reading proficiency by the third grade.

Complete List of Bills Vetoed by the Governor here.

K-12 Education Bills - Last Movement This Week

• Passed the House - Sent to the Senate  

• None

• Passed the Senate - Sent to the House 

• None

• Conference Committee 

• Bills in Conference Committee: LINK

• Bills that are filed, referred to a committee or calendared for the House or Senate Floor 

• None 

• Presented to the Governor

• HB 75: School Safety Funds, Programs, and Reports - signed by Governor - SL 2019-222 

• For complete bill history and summaries, click on the bill link.

2019 Long Session LINK for bills impacting K-12 education. LINK to K-12 Public Education Bills that made Crossover. NCGA Crossover List - LINK.

Next Week's Education-Related Legislative Calendar

September 23 - September 27: Legislative Meeting Calendar

Monday, September 23, 2019

  2:00 p.m.: Senate: Session Convenes - No Vote Session                                   Senate | Audio

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

  9:30 a.m.: House: Session Convenes - No Vote Session                                     House | Audio

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   HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill JR = Joint Resolution SL = Session Law GS = General Statute  PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute

OFFICE OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONTACT INFORMATION:

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

OFFICE OF THE NC SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION CONTACT INFORMATION:

• Karson Nelson –  Legislative Assistant 

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.