House committee backs bill to prioritize students for surplus school technology, adds parental-notification safeguards

The House Education Committee on executive action day voted to report substitute Senate Bill 6,222 out of committee with a 'do pass as amended' recommendation after adopting several amendments to prioritize student access to surplus school technology and to require parental notification before transfers to minors.

Staff briefed the bill as exempting school districts and educational service districts (ESDs) from certain public-notice requirements when selling or granting surplus technology hardware to public-school students, while ensuring low-income students have priority. Committee amendments clarified that districts and ESDs should prioritize items to students they have reasonably determined to have the greatest need, replaced a low-income-family definition with objective need criteria, and added a parental-notification provision requiring districts to notify a student's parent or guardian before transferring items to students under 18 and to provide 10 days to object.

Representative Callan urged support of the bill as a way to keep devices with students leaving the school system, preserving their ability to complete postsecondary and work applications. Representative Keaton supported the policy and the added parental-notification language. The committee adopted the amendments, incorporated them into a striking amendment, and reported the bill out of committee. The clerk announced a tally of 18 ayes and 1 excused.

Next steps: the bill has a do-pass-as-amended committee recommendation and will proceed through the legislative process for consideration on subsequent floors or committees as required.