Rep. Brandon Vick, R-18
On Monday, three separate House committees approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Brandon Vick, R-Vancouver.
“Anytime you get three of your bills to move forward to the next step in the process, that’s a positive day,” Vick said in a news release. “I’m proud to sponsor these pieces of legislation and I look forward to a floor vote with the entire House.”
The Education Committee voted to advance House Bill 1404, which would require school districts to develop an assessment, referral and placement process for high-capability students and provide them with accelerated learning and enhanced instruction. The bill would set criteria in place for identifying highly capable students.
“I’m especially grateful to see this bill move forward,” Vick said. “I’ve been working on this for several years. We need to better identify highly capable students in our public schools and give them the best resources possible to enhance their education.”
House Bill 1399 was unanimously passed by the Consumer Protection and Business Committee. The bill would create a process for a person with a criminal conviction to better determine whether that criminal history would disqualify them from obtaining a professional licence.
“I hope this bill will make it a little easier for someone who has paid their debt to society and wants to get back into the workforce,” Vick said. “I believe we should help individuals in this situation as much as we can, as they begin contributing to their communities in a positive way.”
Vick’s third and final bill of the day to be moved forward was House Bill 1298 after it was unanimously passed by the Local Government Committee. H.B. 1298 would exclude accessory dwelling units located outside urban growth areas.
All three bills now await a full vote from the House of Representatives before moving on to the Senate.
