Ed reform trailer bill squeaks through, 19-16

HB 336, the second “trailer” bill to this year’s school reform bills, passed the Senate on a narrow 19-16 vote; that was the bill to add an emergency clause to SB 1110, the teacher merit pay bill, even though the merit pay program wouldn’t begin until 2013. The next measure, HB 344, to free schools from a maintenance match requirement, passed unanimously; now the Senate is taking up HB 345, the “trailer” bill to SB 1184, the school technology funding bill.