Substitute House Bill 404 Summary

• Extends emergency provisions related to COVID-19 through July 1, 2021, including license renewal extensions, remote public meetings, and education assessments exemptions.

• Allows public body members to attend meetings and hearings via teleconference or video conference with full voting rights and quorum counting during the emergency period.

• Exempts schools from administering state assessments for the 2019-2020 school year and prohibits use of student growth data in teacher evaluations for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years.

• Permits retired public employees of specified state agencies (Rehabilitation and Correction, Youth Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Veterans Services, and Developmental Disabilities) to work without forfeiting retirement benefits through July 1, 2021.

• Distributes federal Coronavirus Relief Fund payments to counties and subdivisions for expenses consistent with federal CARES Act requirements, with distribution deadlines and auditing provisions.