Day 17 - 2/13/2006

>> Back to Week Five, Feb. 13 - Feb. 16

Senate Passes Child Abuse Reporting Bill

The Senate passed SB 442, first proposed by the Office of the Child Advocate to clarify that under no circumstances shall persons in authority to whom abuse is reported exercise any restraint or modify information included in the original report. Also clarifies that an oral report must be made to proper agency within 24 hours. Current law requires the report to be made as soon as possible.

SB 522 (Sen. William Hamrick, 30th), also known as Amy’s Law, was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill amends current law regarding handling of juvenile offenses which if committed by an adult, could be punishable by death or a life sentence. It allows for longer periods of commitment until the child's 21st birthday.  It leaves placement decisions to the sole discretion of the Department of Juvenile Justice, where the focus is on treatment and rehabilitation, and gives juvenile court judges sentencing discretion.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed out the FY 2006 Amended Budget.

The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee recommended passage of a substitute to HB 1145 (Rep. David Ralston, 7th) which would change provisions relating to mental health proceedings for juveniles. It requires a child to be represented by an attorney if being evaluated for competency and addresses other aspects of mental competency hearings for juveniles.

The Academic Support Subcommittee of House Education met today and considered several bills, including HB 1098 (Rep. Kathy Ashe, 56th), which would require all local school systems in which 50% or more children are eligible for free and reduced price school meals to establish a summer food service for at least 40 consecutive week days. Federal funding is available for summer food programs, and HB 1098 stated that schools would not be required to comply if the federal funds were eliminated. In spite of these safe guards, the Subcommittee amended HB 1098 to change the language from requiring summer food service programs to permitting them, which defeats the purpose of the bill, as schools are already permitted to offer summer food service programs. HB 1098 as amended now moves to the full House Education Committee.

Tuesday,February 14th

House Judiciary Non-Civil  8:30a.m., 132 CAP – HB 1031 Incest; gender neutrality

House Education Academic Support Subcommittee 10 a.m., 506 CLOB – HB 1098 Local school

Senate Education & Youth 3:30 p.m., Senate Mezzanine:

SB 288 Grade Integrity Act; teacher not required to change grade

SB 413 Compulsory School Attendance Law; require written parent permission for a student who is between ages 16 and 18 to drop out of school

SB 474 Student Health & Fitness Act – Establish health advisory councils; require minimum time in Physical Education for grades K-8

SB 515 QBE – Extends remedial education to grades 6-8

Thursday, February 16

Senate Judiciary  3:30 p.m., 307 CLOB – HB 1059 Sexual Offenders; increases penalties for perpetrators of sex crimes against children