A Lafayette area lawmaker says upcoming legislative deadlines mean there will be a push into next week to move a lot of bills. Representative Randy Truitt (R-West Lafayette) says many education proposal are among those needing final votes in both the House and Senate.
He says those include a voucher bill for low-income children to attend preschool and a measure regulating virtual charter schools. Truitt says he’s "not too excited" about another bill expanding the current school voucher program.
“Yes, I’m very sympathetic and compassionate to the other side of this argument as well – those who believe it’s the right thing to do. But as I explain to them, I come from an area where our schools are incredible, all of our school districts, all of our teachers, our kids. We have challenges, yes, but who doesn’t have challenges? But coming from my area, our public schools are doing what we want them to do.”
He says he also voted against a bill that lessens the licensing requirements for school superintendents.
“I found it very confusing, a couple days prior to that bill we voted to certify musical therapists in schools, yet we pull away the licensure and education requirements of our superintendents. So, I had a kind of hard time connecting the dots there.”
The deadline to pass House bills onto the Senate is Monday, February 25. The Senate has until Tuesday, February 26 to get bills to the House.