The Franklin County Board of Education voted to sign a resolution opposing House Bill 793 and Senate Bill 836, a pair of bills that board members said would allow some public charter schools and local education agencies to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States.

Board members debated the draft resolution during the legislative-review portion of the meeting. A presenter summarized the bills and said the board’s rationale for opposing them was that the legislation could “negatively impact communities by keeping school age children from receiving an education” and could conflict with the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments and state education provisions.

Board members discussed legal and practical implications. One board member said after reading the bill that it “provides the LEA with the option: you can either enroll them or choose not to enroll them,” and added uncertainty about what other districts would do if given that choice. Another member argued the bills would run counter to a child’s property right to public education and said they should sign the resolution immediately.

Board member Jones moved to authorize the board chair to sign a resolution expressing opposition to House Bill 793 and Senate Bill 836. The motion received a second and was approved by voice vote. The board chair and a witness will sign the resolution and submit it as directed.

The board’s action was recorded as a formal resolution to be sent to the legislature; the transcript records a voice vote and “motion carries,” but does not list roll-call vote tallies or names of members voting for or against.

Board members also reviewed other pending education bills in the legislative packet, including measures on school election cycles, student board members, charter-school processes, and proposals to change student-activity and testing policies. Discussion of those bills did not result in additional votes during this meeting.

The board’s resolution will be signed and filed with legislative authorities as requested by staff; the board did not pass an ordinance or local policy change on the matter.