ASBA Blog

Daily In Session Update 1/15/2021

by | Jan 22, 2021

January 15, 2021
Day 5
Legislative Recap: Week 1
 This year, the House and Senate Education committees both meet on Tuesday afternoons. Since the 2020 session was cut short due to COVID, we will likely see a lot of re-introduction of bills that were advancing through the process last year but didn’t make it across the finish line. That was true this week, with HB 2022 (schools; resources; services; consolidation grants) and HB 2023/SB 1061 (schools; employees; employment; discipline) both making it through committee with support from ASBA. For a preview of next week’s agendas, check out the links on the right.

Executive Budget Summary 
Today Governor Ducey released is annual budget proposal, a $12.6B spending plan that includes a net $21.1M of new K-12 initiatives. The hallmark of the plan is using $389M of surplus funding from the current year that is realized due to enrollment declines and distance learning adjustment to fund a grant program for schools to provide supplemental instruction to low-SES students. The plan also fully restores DAA and provides some additional building renewal funding. It also sets aside $200M for anticipated Income tax cuts.

Read ASBA’s summary of the education provisions 
Governor’s Office Budget Materials 

Federal COVID Relief Update
Yesterday evening, President-Elect Biden delivered a speech to call on Congress to pass what he is calling his “American Rescue Plan,” which is a nearly $2 trillion package of additional spending designed to keep the economy going and provide support for institutions such as schools and healthcare. In addition to the much talked-about stimulus checks, the plan also includes an additional $130 billion in spending to support K-12 public schools, as well as funding for testing and supporting vaccination administration.

President-Elect Biden has stated he will set a goal of getting the majority of the nation’s schools open within the first 100 days of his administration, by bringing COVID-19 under control.

Not much more will be known about the plan until Biden is inaugurated and it can be introduced in Congress. 

2021 Advocacy Calendar
Our Communications Department has developed a new tool to help you stay plugged into Advocacy all year long! Click here to download the ASBA Advocacy Calendar for legislative timelines, advocacy tips throughout the year, and more. 

Advocacy Updates are Back!
Every Friday at 3pm, your trusty ASBA GR Team hosts a Facebook Live to recap the last week and give you a flavor of what’s coming up. We’re broadcasting from home via Zoom this year, but it’s the same format you know and love. Head to the ASBA Facebook page to watch it after the fact.
 

Next Week
House Education
Senate Education