The Senate Education and Health Committee met on Thursday, February 6, 2025. The following pieces of K-12 legislation were acted upon by the committee. To review the entire docket of the committee, click here.
HB1678 (Cohen)- Requires each local school board to develop and implement a policy to require the annual notification of the parent of each student enrolled in the local school division, to be sent by email and, if applicable, SMS text message within 30 calendar days succeeding the first day of each school year, of (i) the importance of securely storing any prescription drug, as defined in relevant law, present in the household and (ii) the parent's legal responsibility to safely store any firearm present in the household. The bill requires each school board to make such parental notification available in multiple languages on its website. The bill reported on a vote 9-5.
HB1806 (Cohen)- Requires each individualized education program (IEP) implemented for a public school student with a disability, with the exception of such students who have been placed in private day or residential school settings, to contain a section addressing individualized accommodations and supports for the student during emergency evacuations and situations as appropriate and identified by the IEP team at its next convened meeting at which the parent is present and consents to implementation of the IEP. The bill reported with a substitute by a vote of 14-0.
HB1947 (Seibold)- Requires the Department of Education (the Department) to survey each local education agency (LEA) in the Commonwealth to determine (i) how public schools governed by such LEA currently grant access to local departments of social services and community services boards and other community-based providers of mental and behavioral health services and (ii) what school-based mental and behavioral health services are made available by such LEA. The bill requires the Department to utilize the results of and feedback from the survey to inform the continued development and improvement of guidelines for school professionals to support students and families by connecting them with community resources that provide mental and behavioral health services. The bill requires the Department to report to the Commission on Youth by November 1, 2025, any findings and recommendations that result from the survey. The bill reported on a vote of 14-0.
HB1983 (Askew) Requires (i) each school board to, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, annually collect and submit to the Department of Education a report on data on the average salaries of support services personnel, as that term is defined in the bill, employed by the school board and (ii) the Department to, beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, annually compile, include in the Annual School Report, and publicly post such data on the Department's website. The bill requires each school board and the Department to disaggregate the data by career categories of support services personnel and specialized student support personnel as set forth in applicable law. The bill reported by a vote of 14-0.
HB2018 (Anthony) Requires the Board of Education to issue a provisional license to any person seeking an initial license in the Commonwealth with an endorsement in the area of career and technical education who has a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate and an industry-recognized credential, certification, or license in the area in which such person seeks an endorsement but has not completed all requirements specified in the Board's regulations for licensure to allow time for such person to complete, in lieu of the outstanding requirements specified in the Board's regulations for licensure, coursework in three areas specified in the bill. The bill directs the Board to amend its regulations as necessary in accordance with the provisions of the bill.
HB2104 (Bennett-Parker)- Permits a prescriber to authorize an employee of (i) a school board, (ii) a school for students with disabilities, (iii) an accredited private school, (iv) a local governing body, or (v) a local health department who is trained in the administration of seizure rescue medications for the treatment of seizures to administer such medications, pursuant to a written order or standing protocol issued within the course of the prescriber's professional practice and with the consent of the student's parents, to a student diagnosed with a condition causing seizures when the student is believed to be experiencing or about to experience a seizure. The bill provides that any such authorized employee who administers or assists in the administration of such medications to such a student in accordance with the prescriber's instructions shall not be liable for any civil damages for ordinary negligence in acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such treatment. The bill also permits any local school board to adopt and implement policies (a) permitting any student enrolled in any secondary school in the local school division who has a diagnosis of a condition causing seizures to possess seizure rescue medications during the school day, at school-sponsored activities, or while on a school bus or other school property if the student's parent has submitted a seizure management and action plan that includes written consent of the parent and written approval of the student's primary care provider for such self-possession or (b) for the administration of seizure rescue medications to any student enrolled in any elementary or secondary school in the local school division who has a diagnosis of a condition causing seizures, consistent with the provisions of the bill relating to prescriber authorization. The bill reported with amendment on a vote of 14-0.
HB2454 (Rasoul) Directs the Board of Education to revise its Three "E" Readiness Framework: Employment, Enlistment, and Enrollment, adopted pursuant to the public school accountability system to measure high school student postsecondary readiness, to include as an indicator of postsecondary readiness and incentivize participation in and completion of work-based learning experiences. The bill reported by a vote of 14-0.
HB2543 (Laufer) Provides that the model memorandum of understanding developed by the Department of Education for partnerships with community mental health services providers or school-based telehealth providers shall include procedures allowing for students to receive counseling from school counselors by way of telehealth. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study Pandemic Response and Preparedness in the Commonwealth. The bill reported on a vote of 14-0.
