The House Education Committee on Wednesday gave a do-pass recommendation to Senate Bill 228, a measure that would stop requiring classified (noncertified) school employees who have received a State Board of Education waiver for a disqualifying background check from repeatedly seeking board approval every five years while they remain employed by the same district.

Supporters said the change aligns classified staff with certified staff and removes a recurring administrative burden. "What we're asking in this bill is that once they get the waiver from the Department of Education, and they stay in good standing with the school district, that they don't have to get another waiver as long as they are employed with the school," Representative Hawk said while presenting the bill to the committee.

The bill generally preserves safeguards, presenters said. Karen Walters, superintendent of Bryant Public Schools, told the panel the waiver would expire if an employee leaves the district and later returns, and a new conviction while employed would require the employee to seek a new waiver. "If they leave us or if there is a different offense, then it would not go under this law. They would have to ask for another waiver," Walters said.

Committee members asked how the measure would handle a subsequent qualifying conviction. Representative Beck asked whether the law provides timing protections or could leave an employee waiting indefinitely for action if a second offense occurs. Walters said districts receive the background-check information showing the nature and date of the offense and noted district boards consider the age of an offense when deciding whether to recommend a waiver. "When we receive that information...that would be something that I would go to the board and say, this is a different offense," she said, adding she would not recommend a waiver for a recent conviction.

There were no public witnesses signed to speak for or against the bill. The committee recorded a motion for a do-pass recommendation and advanced SB 228 by voice vote.

SB 228 will proceed from the House Education Committee with a do-pass recommendation.