HB 87-EXTEND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCY  8:10:39 AM CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of HB 87 and noted the new Senate Committee Substitute (CS), version Y, in the packets. [CSHB 87(FIN) was before the committee.] SENATOR DUNLEAVY moved to adopt the Senate CS for CSHB 87, labeled 28-LS0392\Y, as the working document. CHAIR STEVENS objected for discussion purposes. TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, provided information about three changes in version Y. He said Senate CS restores the governance of the Special Education Service Agency (SESA) to the Governor's Council on Disabilities. Section 2 modestly increases SESA's funding, a change made in the Senate Finance Committee. The sunset date is changed to four years instead of eight years. 8:13:08 AM LES MORSE, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), addressed the fiscal note for HB 87. He said he did not know the exact amount of the Senate Finance Committee fiscal note, which would now apply to version Y. CHAIR STEVENS understood that there would no longer be the need for additional staff, now that the governance is returned to the Governor's Council. MR. MORSE said that was correct. MR. MORSE explained the Commissioner's preference for leaving SESA under the Governor's Council program. There is an emphasis on strong communication between DEED and SESA. All stakeholders are heavily involved with the Governor's Council on Special Education and Disabilities and are organized as a non-profit under that structure with a board that costs $30,000, currently. He related he regularly communicates with SESA's executive director and DEED's school finance director. Also, the special education administrator attends and participates in every SESA governance meeting. He concluded that SESA works well as it is currently set up. 8:16:46 AM CHAIR STEVENS requested that Mr. Pillai address the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. PATRICK PILLAI, Executive Director, Special Education Service Agency (SESA), presented information related to HB 87. He said he concurs with the previous speakers. He voiced appreciation for the increase in funding for SESA, after 15 years of flat funding. It enables SESA to continue its work. He said he sincerely appreciates the legislature's work on behalf of SESA. 8:18:19 AM CHAIR STEVENS asked if there were any representatives from the Governor's Council on Disabilities. ERIC GEBHART, Chair, Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, testified during the discussion of HB 87. He agreed that the current governance is working well since the last audit. He said there has been good communication with DEED. He commented that the special education administrator attends Council meetings and is a voting member of the SESA Board. CHAIR STEVENS thanked Mr. Gebhart for his service on the Council. He asked if the sponsor wished to comment. 8:20:59 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETE HIGGINS, Sponsor, encouraged the committee to move HB 87. CHAIR STEVENS closed public testimony. CHAIR STEVENS removed his objection. 8:22:03 AM SENATOR DUNLEAVY moved to report Senate CS for [CSHB 87], labeled 28-LS0392\Y, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. CHAIR STEVENS announced that without objection, SCS CSSB 87(EDC) was reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee.