House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee
Key Moments
Ian Mackey — Called during roll call; vote not clearly captured in this line.
John Martin — Called during the roll call.
John Martin — Voted aye on the committee substitute for House Bill 2872.
John Martin — Called during roll call; vote not clearly captured in this line.
Mark Meirath — Likely referred to as 'Myrith' during the roll call.
Mark Meirath — Voted aye on the committee substitute for House Bill 2872.
Mark Meirath — Called during roll call; vote not clearly captured in this line.
Mark Meirath — Representative Smith engages the witness on concerns related to journalism, freedom of speech, and possible censorship issues in Clayton, asking for clarification and summarizing the witness’s position.
Matthew Overcast — Called as present during the roll call.
Matthew Overcast — Called during the roll; no vote recorded in this caption.
Matthew Overcast — Representative Overcast was recorded as voting aye on the committee substitute for House Bill 2872 during the roll call.
Matthew Overcast — Called during roll call; vote not clearly captured in this line.
Brad Pollitt — Brad Pollitt is first called during roll call, then later referenced and acknowledged for helping ensure agricultural industry language was added to the discussion, specifically by making sure ag industry reporting was included.
Brad Pollitt — Referenced for his work last year on the grade-level designation.
Brad Pollitt — Called during the roll; no vote recorded in this caption.
Brad Pollitt — Asked Representative Smith to repeat her earlier statement.
Brad Pollitt — Called during roll call; vote not clearly captured in this line.
Melissa Schmidt — Called during the roll call.
Melissa Schmidt — Addressed directly by name in the committee's thanks to the witness.
Kem Smith — Called during the roll call.
Kem Smith — Voted no.
Kem Smith — Kem Smith argued that the bill should include a parental participation exception to automatic retention, so parents are informed when a student has not met reading requirements and must either consent to retention or agree to a home reading plan that supports school efforts. She explained that this documentation would help prevent later disputes, noted that the superintendent appears to have final authority within the bill’s parameters, and said she is open to clarifying special-circumstance language as long as it does not weaken the bill further.
Kem Smith — Included in the final vote tally.
Kem Smith — Asked whether the training costs are per person or per district and whether the bill would save money.
Connie Steinmetz — Called as present during the roll call.
Connie Steinmetz — Voted aye.
Connie Steinmetz — Representative Steinmetz was first corrected after being misnamed, with an apology offered for the mistake. He then immediately responded by thanking the bill sponsor for working with the committee and began raising a question about the issue under discussion, including intensive reading instruction.
Connie Steinmetz — Connie Steinmetz is first recorded in roll call as voting aye, then is addressed during debate and speaks in support of the bill, saying it makes sense and noting as an educator she found repeated trainings burdensome. Subsequent speakers echo her comments in support of reducing repetitive annual trainings and the bill overall.
Cecelie Williams — Called as present during the roll call.
Cecelie Williams — Voted aye on the committee substitute for House Bill 2872.
Kathy Steinhoff — Kathy Steinhoff opens the discussion by thanking the chair and then comments on the bill’s grading framework, asking how the B, C, D, and F categories will be defined and noting that the bill is an improvement. She appreciates the explanation but raises concern that the remaining cutoff points are not clearly specified and that the bill may leave room for disagreement. When the amendment is discussed, she says she supports grade-level language and the amendment, but worries the conversion is unfunded, could slow DESE’s implementation, and may create confusion for the public. She suggests doing more research before the bill reaches the floor to determine whether the change would improve implementation or move more quickly without the grade-level adjustment.
Kathy Steinhoff — Kathy Steinhoff voted no, then later spoke in support of the bill’s improvements while noting an ongoing reservation about the retention provisions. She asked for clarification on the good-cause exemptions related to retention, said she would probably support the bill out of committee but might vote no later if retention exceptions are not expanded, and raised concerns about the fiscal note and the impact on districts and DESE. She also thanked the sponsor and said the bill looked good overall.
Kathy Steinhoff — Voted aye on the substitute and the committee substitute.
Kathy Steinhoff — Recorded as voting aye.
Kathy Steinhoff — Asks whether the bill should apply to private schools.
Brad Banderman — Was recognized to offer Amendment No. 0.02H.
Brad Banderman — Voted aye.
Brad Banderman — Voted aye on the substitute and the committee substitute.
Brad Banderman — Recorded as voting aye as Vice Chair Banderman.
Ed Lewis — As Chair, called for the roll vote.
Ed Lewis — Voted aye on the substitute and the committee substitute.
Ed Lewis — Recorded as voting aye as Chairman Lewis.
Ed Lewis — Appears to be managing the hearing and moving the process along.
Ed Lewis — Ed Lewis opens by thanking the chair and greeting the chairman and committee members, addressing the presiding officer respectfully at the start of the hearing.
Ed Lewis — Likely the chair being addressed as 'Mr. Chair' during questioning.
Ed Lewis — Likely the chair or committee member offering praise and asking about school districts that are not maintaining boundaries.
Ed Lewis — Chair Ed Lewis briefly questions the speaker and then, after not seeing Otto's hand, calls on him to come up and continue.
Stephanie Boykin — Voted no.
Stephanie Boykin — Voted aye on the committee substitute for House Bill 2872.