House recesses ‘til 1:15; House Dems head to caucus; Senate in amending order…

The House has recessed until 1:15 p.m.; House Majority Leader Mike Moyle said the House will go to its amending order this afternoon. Before adjourning, the House passed HB 603, to restore the “97 percent funding protection” that school districts lost in the “Students Come First” reforms, which protects districts from sharp funding drops when student populations unexpectedly decline from one year to the next, but to have school districts themselves pay for it. The bill passed 62-1, with just Moyle dissenting. The bill’s Statement of Purpose estimates that it’ll result in an across-the-board reduction in school district funding of less than two-tenths of one percent.

The House also unanimously passed HB 633, which allows more flexibility in accessing a special fund for school replacement in districts where voters repeatedly refuse to pass bonds to replaced condemned structures. House Democrats announced they’d hold a closed-door caucus during the noon hour.

Meanwhile, the Senate has continued into the noon hour, amending bills on its 14th Order for amendment.