Sen. Vicki Walker: Joint Meeting on Education

News release from Sen. Vicki Walker 11-2-2007:

LAWMAKERS TO HOLD JOINT MEETING ON EDUCATION
Sex Abuse Prevention, School Safety, and Educational Standards to be Discussed

SALEM “” The Senate Education and General Government Committee and the House Education Committee will hold a joint meeting next Monday in the Capitol. The full day meeting has an agenda packed with updates on recently passed legislation, much of it timely in light of recent reports about sex abuse in schools.

“Many people have expressed concerns to me in light of what they’ve been reading in the papers about misconduct in our schools,” said Senator Vicki Walker, chair of the Senate Committee on Education and General Government. “This is an issue that I care deeply about, and it will receive a full discussion on Monday.”

The Senate and House Committees will hear from the executive director of the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission regarding the implementation of Senate Bill 379. The bill, sponsored by Senate Walker, requires school districts to develop child abuse prevention training programs. It took effect on June 20th of this year.

“We have a very full agenda on Monday. The Legislature passed a great deal of important legislation on education during the 2007 session, and we will be checking in on the progress that has been made in implementing that legislation,” said Senator Walker.

Other agenda items include an update on the Shared Responsibility Model; a review of new high school graduation requirements; an update on the School Improvement Fund; and a discussion about the timeline and implementation of Senate Bill 479, which requires schools to replace potentially dangerous metal halide and mercury vapor light bulbs with safer alternatives.

In a separate, break-out session, the Senate Committee on Education and General Government will meet to discuss proposed legislation to prevent fraud of Oregon’s Business Name Renewal Registration Fee.

The joint meeting will begin at 9:00am, November 5, in Hearing Room F of the Capitol. The separate Senate committee meeting will begin at 4:30, November 5, in Hearing Room E.

-30-