This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)

Despite a very busy two years and a lame duck session that saw the passage of Right to Work legislation, MASSP and the school community were able to negotiate solutions to, or stop the passage of several pieces of potentially harmful legislation. At the end of the day, neither EAA nor Conversion Schools legislation made it through the process. Though a partial repeal of the personal property tax did pass, the bill included full replacement for the vast majority of lost school revenue. Legislation capping the School Bond Loan Fund—and thereby potentially making it more difficult for districts to bond for buildings—did pass, but the bill will sunset in 2016, only a year after the cap is projected to start having an impact. Perhaps most unfortunate was the passage of a bill to allow the carrying of concealed weapons in schools, but MASSP is working with other stakeholders to urge a gubernatorial veto of the measure.