Education committee pushes 5 bills through Nevada Senate

A bill that would provide legal immunity for parent volunteers serving on Clark County school organization teams was one of five proposals moved to the next stage in the legislative process Tuesday by the Senate Committee on Education.

Senate Bill 119, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford, D-Las Vegas, said the possibility that members would be sued may discourage them from serving on the teams. The teams were created after AB394, passed in 2015, mandated the reorganization of the Clark County School District.

The teams, which include teachers, support staff, parents and community members, are responsible for helping direct finances and programs at the schools.

Other bills gaining preliminary approval include:

• Senate Bill 19, which would require all districts to have dual-enrollment agreements with an institution of higher education;
• Senate Bill 66, which would loosen restrictions on students completing internships;
• Senate Bill 38, which would allow districts to take advantage of the state’s Central Mailing Room;
• Senate Bill 76, which would revise how local agencies invest money.

Senate Bill 200, which would require every high school to offer a computer science course, was also introduced Tuesday by Senate Co-Majority Whip Joyce Woodhouse, D-Henderson, but the committee took no action on it.

Students who successfully complete a computer science course could use the credit to satisfy either a math or science requirement for graduation, according to the bill.

“Computer science teaches us how to use collaboration and creativity to create new programs and products,” said Mark Newburn, a state Board of Education member who testified on behalf of the bill. “It teaches us to be the innovators and creators of that technology future.”

Another provision of the bill would require districts to “make efforts” to enroll female students and students from certain racial groups, who are typically underrepresented in computer science fields.

Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.