The Substitute House Bill No. 7217 introduces significant revisions to education statutes, primarily focusing on financial reporting, budgeting processes, and student health assessments within public schools. Effective July 1, 2025, the bill requires school superintendents to provide local boards of education with detailed financial information, including original and actual amounts for each line item over the past two fiscal years, as well as current fiscal year amounts. This aims to enhance transparency and accountability in school budgeting. The bill also repeals and substitutes existing language in Section 10-222, ensuring timely submission of itemized estimates to financial authorities and emphasizing public district meetings for budget presentations. Additionally, it modifies the vision screening requirements for students and establishes new provisions for health assessments, mandating that these assessments be conducted by qualified medical professionals and ensuring parental involvement.

Moreover, the bill addresses student discipline and school board operations by mandating that school resource officers provide information on their interactions with students and implement a graduated response model for discipline by January 1, 2026. It allows regional boards of education to transfer reserve funds for educational purposes and expands alternative education opportunities for students aged 16 to 18 who are expelled. The bill also modifies notification requirements for parents regarding physical restraint or seclusion, requiring immediate notification on the same day it occurs. Overall, sHB7217 aims to improve educational funding transparency, enhance student support services, and ensure compliance with updated educational standards, with an effective date set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-222, 10-233m, 10-153b, 10-206
ED Joint Favorable Substitute: 10-222, 10-233m, 10-153b, 10-206
File No. 648: 10-222, 10-233m, 10-153b, 10-206