HB 87-EXTEND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCY  8:54:21 AM CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of HB 87. [CSHB 87(FIN) was before the committee.] 8:54:35 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETE HIGGINS, sponsor of HB 87, introduced the bill. He related that HB 87 extends the requirement for the Special Education Service Agency (SESA), which was established in 1986. REPRESENTATIVE HIGGINS explained the changes the House made to HB 87. He said that SESA was extended until June 30, 2021, and realigned under the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) for oversight. 8:56:41 AM PATRICK PILLAI, Executive Director, Special Education Services Agency (SESA), provided information related to HB 87. CHAIR STEVENS noted that the committee was waiting for a fiscal note and a Senate CS. MR. PILLAI addressed the oversight of SESA, which he saw as a policy decision. He said if the oversight moves from the Governor's Council to DEED, and if the structure remains the same with the continuation of an advisory board, it will have little impact on agency operations. He said he preferred SESA to remain under the Governor's Council because there are no problems with oversight at this time. He emphasized that SESA requires funding because it is looking at $400,000 in cuts. 8:58:21 AM CHAIR STEVENS reviewed the differences between the Senate and House version of the bill. He said governance and funding are the two main differences that need to be worked out. 8:58:51 AM MIKE HANLEY, Commissioner, Department of Education & Early Development, provided information about SESA. He spoke in support of extending SESA. He noted that DEED currently actively works with SESA, and audit concerns have been addressed. He said SESA functions very well under the governance of the Governor's Council. He thought that moving SESA under DEED would be cumbersome. CHAIR STEVENS said the committee is awaiting a fiscal note. If the governance were to transfer there would be a need for additional staffing in DEED. He requested information about the fiscal note. COMMISSIONER HANLEY responded that the DEED would be tasked with oversight of SESA and that would require another staff. 9:01:14 AM CHAIR STEVENS held HB 87 in committee pending a fiscal note.