- Legislation to Codify Free Meals for All Students Introduced
- Senate Committee Approves Return to Work Rule Changes for Retirees
- House Passes Filter First Bills
- House Committee Takes Testimony on Panic Alarms in Schools
Legislation to Codify Free Meals for All Students Introduced
On Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee began hearings on Senate Bill 500, which was just introduced last week. The bill would require the Michigan Department of Education to operate the program to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students in public schools. This follows the School Aid budget which appropriated $160 million for the program for this year. Putting the program into the School Code will help ensure that it is funded each year by the Legislature.
Testimony in committee gave examples of the benefits of providing meals for all students from increased learning, helping with food insecurity, and removing the stigma of being a free/reduced lunch student or not having the ability to pay for meals. Further hearings and a committee vote are expected next week.
Expanding the free meals program is a legislative priority of MASB and we are excited to see it codified into law. We will still work to get the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand it nationally but are happy that Michigan has already taken these steps.
Senate Committee Approves Return to Work Rule Changes for Retirees
On Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee also approved House Bill 4752 which amends the Public School Employees Retirement Act to address the current requirement that a retiree must wait nine months after retirement before being able to substitute in a district without penalty to their pension.
Under the bill, a retiree would only have to wait six months before returning to work in a district without penalty to their retirement. However, a retiree would be allowed to work in those six months as long as they did not make more than $15,100 per calendar year. It also states that a retiree could not serve as a superintendent for the first six months after retirement. These provisions will sunset in five years.
HB 4752 now goes before the full Senate for consideration and approval.
House Passes Filter First Bills
On Wednesday, the House passed House Bill 4341 to create the Clean Drinking Water Access Act. The act would require each school to develop a drinking water safety plan and make the plan available to the state government. During debate on the floor, the date to require hydration stations and other water filters to be placed in schools was extended to the end of the 2025-2026 school year. MASB worked with the bill sponsors and other stakeholders to make sure that final change was made. We now support the bill.
The bill also creates the clean drinking water fund in the Department of Treasury, and previous budgets have appropriated money for this purpose. However, it also states that schools will not be held to this new law unless an appropriation is made by the Legislature.
HB4341 now goes to the Senate for consideration and expected quick approval.
House Committee Takes Testimony on Panic Alarms in Schools
On Tuesday, the House Education Committee heard testimony from Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac) in support of House Bills 4241-4242 which would require each school building to have a panic alarm system in place and create an appropriation to fund them.
The alarm is designed to alert administrators, teachers, staff, and first responders of building-wide emergencies, including lockdowns. The panic alarm would be silent and manually activated and be directly linked to local law enforcement and first responders. The method of activation will be selected within each school to meet building and staffing needs.
A panic alarm is an additional tool to provide another layer of protection for Michigan students. MASB supports both bills. Further hearings may be held later in the fall.