Date: 04/21/2014

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB14-150

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment O). The motion p
Refer Senate Bill 14-150, as amended, to the Commi		Pass Without Objection
PASS



05:17 PM -- SB14-150

Representative Hamner passed the gavel to Representative Peniston. Representative Hamner, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 14-150, which expands the School Counselor Corps Grant Program, doubling the program's funding and adding 150 more counselors. The bill allows grant recipients to place counselors in middle schools, not just high schools, and extends the life of the grant cycle from three years to four years. It increases the program's budget from $5 million to $10 million and focuses grants on schools that have the highest remediation rates. Representative Hamner responded to questions from the committee.

The following people testified:

05:20 PM -- Rebecca Holmes, Associate Commissioner at the Department of Education (CDE), discussed the program's achievements, the program's structure, and professional development for counselors. She discussed the eligibility requirements for grantees and increased graduation rates among grant recipients. Ms. Holmes responded to questions from the committee.

05:31 PM -- Tracy Thompson, representing the Counselor Corps Advisory Board and an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Implementation Specialist, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the role of the school counselor, the extra duties many counselors are assigned, and counseling standards. She pointed out that counselors work with students in academic, career, and personal domains of development and help students with concurrent enrollment. She explained that expansion of the program will help get additional counselors into schools where they are most needed. Ms. Thompson responded to questions from the committee.

05:35 PM -- Samantha Haviland, President of the Colorado School Counselor Association and Director of Counseling for Denver Public Schools (DPS), testified in support of the bill. She explained the needs of students and discussed an information packet that she distributed to committee members (Attachment N). She discussed how school counselors can help mitigate negative influences in a student's life and the role counselors play in school safety.

14HseEd0421AttachN.pdf14HseEd0421AttachN.pdf

05:38 PM

No further witnesses being present, Representative Peniston closed public testimony. Representative Hamner explained the provisions of amendment L.004 (Attachment O).

14HseEd0421AttachO.pdf14HseEd0421AttachO.pdf
BILL:SB14-150
TIME: 05:39:08 PM
MOVED:Hamner
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment O). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Young
VOTE
Buckner
Court
Everett
Fields
Holbert
McNulty
Excused
Murray
Pettersen
Priola
Excused
Wilson
Young
Peniston
Hamner
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


05:40 PM

Representative Hamner offered closing comments to the bill. Rebecca Holmes, CDE, returned to the table to respond to questions from the committee. Josh Abram, Legislative Council Staff, came to the table to respond to questions from the committee.
BILL:SB14-150
TIME: 05:40:50 PM
MOVED:Hamner
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 14-150, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 7-4, with two members excused.
SECONDED:Pettersen
VOTE
Buckner
Yes
Court
Yes
Everett
No
Fields
Yes
Holbert
No
McNulty
Excused
Murray
No
Pettersen
Yes
Priola
Excused
Wilson
No
Young
Yes
Peniston
Yes
Hamner
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 4 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



05:49 PM

The committee adjourned.