HF163 Summary

• Amends school district contracting procedures to clarify bidding requirements and allow performance bonds for finished tangible products at board discretion.

• Requires school districts to screen students in kindergarten through grade 2 (and higher grades with reading difficulties) for dyslexia characteristics and report annually to the commissioner.

• Establishes mental illness and cultural competency training requirements for teacher license renewals, with Tier 1 licenses renewable up to three times and Tier 2 licenses renewable three times before additional conditions apply.

• Creates the "Vaping Awareness and Prevention Act" requiring vaping prevention instruction at least once for grades 6-8 and encourages evidence-based instruction for grades 9-12.

• Prohibits disciplinary dismissals in preschool and prekindergarten programs except expulsions/exclusions for serious safety threats after nonexclusionary resources are exhausted.

• Allows schools to request age verification documentation for prekindergarten through grade 12 enrollment and establishes procedures for collecting and transporting unclaimed or abandoned prescription drugs.

• Extends the deadline for early learning scholarship program eligibility from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024 for three- or four-star quality ratings.