House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for HB2233 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Requiring school districts to provide a stipend for teachers to purchase classroom supplies.
Minutes Content for Mon, Feb 18, 2019
Chairperson Huebert opened the hearing on HB2233 at 1:30.
Revisor Jason Long gave an overview of the bill.
Chairperson Huebert invited Oral Proponents to speak.
Representative Cheryl Helmer, the requester of the legislation, witnessed teachers who had to use their own money to buy supplies for her classroom, or help children who needed clothing or other basic items. As a school counselor, she has seen teachers spend money on shoes, food, and clothes for children in need. She has seen people spend an average of $800 to $3600 of their own money. This bill would help teachers afford the daily needs of their classrooms and help them support their students. (Attachment 1)
There was a short conversation between the Representatives such as where the funds would be taken from, the administrative burden of this legislation, and questions about the Fiscal Note that estimated a cost to Kansas of $17,350,000.
Chairperson Huebert invited Oral Opponents to speak.
Opponent Mark Desetti noted it was odd that Kansas National Educators Association is opposing because there are good intentions behind this bill. He agreed that teachers spend their own money to buy things for their classrooms and for individual students, however, this bill is poorly constructed. (Attachment 2)
Opponent Jerry Henn, testified against the bill based on the belief that the present system works, and this would simply take money out of the budget and passed over to another purpose, robbing Peter to pay Paul, as it were. (Attachment 3)
Opponent Leah Fliter, agreed that this type of spending should be done on a local level. Kansas Association of School Boards is essentially against this because it takes away local control. If the intent is to put more money into teachers' pockets, she suggests putting that money into the base state aid provided to school districts. (Attachment 4)
Written only Opponents:
Mike O'Neal, Kansas Policy Institute (Attachment 5)
Patty Logan, Stand Up Blue Valley (Attachment 6)
Judy Deedy, Game On for Kansas Schools (Attachment 7)
Brandi Fisher, Mainstream Coalition (Attachment 8)
Jenifer Boles, Education First Shawnee Mission (Attachment 9)
Monica Crowe, Kansas Parent Teacher Organization (Attachment 10)
There was a brief conversation between the conferees and the Representatives.
Chairperson Huebert closed the hearing on HB2233 and adjourned the meeting at 1:59.
