Legislative Bills of Interest
The 2012 Session of the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature convened on January 4th and is scheduled to adjourn on April 12th, 2012. This is a 60 day, “short session.” Senators can introduce bills until January 19th, after which date the District will have a better idea of the possible impact of the Session. Here are brief summaries of some bills of interest or concern to the District. More information can be found at the Legislature’s web site: www.nebraskalegislature.gov
Change provisions relating to compulsory attendance
This bill would eliminate the option for a student of 16 years of age to discontinue enrollment with a notarized release signed by the parent or guardian.
LB 996 Introduced by Wightman
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Change base limitation provisions and certain dates relating to TEEOSA
LB 913 changes the state aid formula by making a .5% increase in FY 2012-13 in allowable district expenditures, which is used to calculate state aid. This increase would benefit all school districts. Then, however, the bill would reduce aid and limits growth in state aid in the following years. LPS is working with a [...]
LB 913 Introduced by Adams
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Change flag display provisions for schools and require recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance
Beginning August 13, 2012, every classroom–including publicly funded post-secondary institutions– must display a flag. Additionally, the bill would require the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance during the first class of every school day.
LB 990 Introduced by Fulton
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Allow exceptions to property tax levy limitations and school district budget authority for 21st Century Community Learning Centers
To address the loss of federal and other sources of funding for Community Learning Centers, this bill would permit districts to exceed the statutory levy and spending lids.
LB 989 Introduced by Haar
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Change averaging adjustment and certification data under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act
This bill would maintain the budgeted statewide school aid funding for 2012-13 at $880 Million. This funding was adopted last Session in the Biennium budget, but is threatened to be reduced this Session by other spending priorities.
LB 947 Introduced by Hadley
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Change provisions relating to truancy
If a student has been absent more than 20 days per year, the district shall review the case with the county attorney and determine if more action is needed to get the student to attend school regularly. If more action is needed, the parents, school personnel and county attorney shall meet to make such plans.
LB 933 Introduced by Ashford
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Change truancy provisions for absences relating to military employment activities
The bill would modify the definition of “excessive absenteeism” to exclude absences due to documented illness or absences related to a military deployment in the family.
LB 917 Introduced by Cornett
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Provide for an accountability system to measure school performance
The Department of Education would be required to establish an accountability system by August, 2012, which would measure the performance of all public schools and districts beginning with the 2012-13 school year. The system must use multiple measures, including graduation rates, student growth and improvement on the statewide assessments. The State Board could combine these [...]
LB 870 Introduced by Adams
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Change provisions relating to evaluation of certificated employees of schools
This bill would require all districts to evaluate probationary and permanent teachers with actual classroom observations by an administrator, for a minimum of 90 minutes per semester with no one observation being less than 30 minutes.
LB 809 Introduced by Lautenbaugh
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Create funds and provide funding for childhood obesity prevention measures through sales taxation of soft drinks
The bill would remove the tax-exempt status of soda and energy drinks to fund evidence based programs to address obesity in school age children. Funds could be used for the school lunch program, school health programs, to increase physical activity and for training for early child care providers.
LB 753 Introduced by Avery
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Change provisions relating to certain tax levies and certain bonds of school districts and authorize refunding bonds.
This bill is a protection for school bond ratings and the cost of servicing bonded indebtedness. If the taxable valuation of a district drops, such that the levy for the bonds would be insufficient to service the debt, this legislation would permit the district to exceed the maximum levy in an amount that just covers [...]
LB 633 Introduced by Adams
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Change duties and funding provisions relating to educational service units.
The bill would permit the LPS educational service unit to continue to operate as a single district ESU and to continue to levy 1.5 cents for support of these District services.
LB 446 Introduced by Adams
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