The Senate Education Committee voted to hold Senate Bill 135, Educational Medical Services Amendments, after members asked for clearer application and implementation details for two new definitions the bill would add to state code.

Sponsor testimony described the measure as an attempt to create distinct categories for students with medical needs so that smaller districts could move some intensive service costs to health partners and free local special-education funds for other students. The sponsor said the goal is to streamline Medicaid and other service pathways so medically intensive students could receive services through appropriate medical channels rather than creating disproportionate paperwork and expense for smaller LEAs.

Nut graf: Committee members expressed support for the aim of relieving small districts of burdens carried by very-high-need students, but several asked how the proposed definitions would be used in statute and whether existing streams—such as the Special Education Intensive Needs fund—already addressed similar cases.

Senator Fillmore said he was reluctant to approve definitions without a clear implementation plan and recommended the sponsor refine the definitions and show how they would be applied. Committee discussion noted the relevant statutory section is currently reserved and contains no definitions; members recommended additional work to prevent unintended consequences of adding a definition without an associated mechanism.

The committee approved a motion to hold the bill, with the final committee vote recorded as 2 in favor of holding and 1 opposed (Senator Reid recorded in opposition). The sponsor acknowledged the request to develop application details and indicated willingness to continue work with districts and the health department.

Ending: The bill remains in committee while the sponsor develops implementation language and clarifies how definitions would operate with existing funding streams.