School Calendar Bill Passes
The bill that would allow local school districts to change their start dates to sometime earlier than Aug. 25 passed the House today, 74-39. Because there was an objection to third reading, we'll have an opportunity to hear it again tomorrow.
Assuming the outcome is the same, it will next go to the Senate.
For those wondering what its fate will be in the Senate, the good/bad news (depending on what side of this debate you're on) is it's hard to tell. As has been widely noted, Senate Leader Marc Basnight is a restaurant owner from down east who opposes the idea of schools starting earlier. However, a spokesman said Basnight won't use his power to derail the legislation. Rather, it will be allowed to proceed along its normal course. That's because it's not a matter of partisan difference (Republican vs. Democrat) but a matter of geographic split, and an issue on which Democrats themselves are divided.