ADVOCACY

KEA Regular Session 2024 Bill Status Report

Each day during session, KEA will post a list of all the bills we are actively following; the report will include the organization’s current position on each.  Note that bill positions are tentative unless they are approved by the KEA Delegate Assembly through the annual KEA Legislative Program or are approved by the KEA Board of Directors.

KEA takes positions on bills using the following process:

• All bills filed are reviewed to determine whether they impact public education; those that do are included on the BIll Status Report.
• The KEA Lobby Team meets regularly to review bills throughout the session.
• Per the KEA governance documents, the Delegate Assembly is the highest governing body of the organization.  The DA meets once each year and approves the KEA Legislative Program.
• Between meetings of the KEA Delegate Assembly, the KEA Board of Directors is authorized to act on its behalf.  The KEA Board meets regularly throughout the year.
• The KEA Lobby Team reviews each education-related bill in the context of the Association’s guiding documents.  The team first defers to the KEA Legislative Program as approved each year by the Delegate Assembly.  If a position on the subject of a bill is clearly set out in that document, the will of the DA controls.
• If a bill is not clearly covered by the Legislative Program, the Lobby Team determines whether the KEA Board of Directors has previously taken a position on the same (or on a substantially similar) bill.  If so, the previous position of the KEA Board controls.
• If the subject of a bill is not clearly established by the Legislative Program and has not previously been decided by the KEA Board, the Lobby Team recommends a position for the Board’s consideration.  The KEA Board is not bound by its prior decisions and is not bound by the Lobby Team’s recommendation.
• Bills often change substantially after the KEA Board takes an official position, which may cause the official position of the organization to change.
• If KEA decides to “track” a bill, that means the organization neither supports nor opposes the proposal, and will continue to watch the designated legislation for substantial changes that could trigger a change in position.