During this evening’s floor session, the House passed House Bill 109, which would create teacher empowerment teams.
The House also passed Senate Bill 1003 which renames conservation officers natural resources police officers. The bill has completed legislative action and now awaits the Governor’s signature.
All supplementary appropriation bills were advanced to 2nd Reading as well as Senate Bill 1010, which would create the Behavioral Mental Health Services Fund, and Senate Bill 1011, which implements temporary high risk pool programs to provide certain health insurance coverage.
The House also received a resolution pertaining to the Amended Call. House Concurrent Resolution 107, which provides for the issuance not to exceed $45 million of refunding bonds pursuant to the “Safe Roads Amendment of 1996”.
The House will reconvene tomorrow at 4 p.m.
The following House committees will meet tomorrow:
Education – 1 p.m. – 434M
Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and providers of victims’ services have descended on the state capitol today for Operation Reach Out. Operation Reach Out is an informational fair designed to raise awareness for National Crime Victims Rights Week. Every April, law enforcement agencies come to the state capitol to set up informational booths displaying the various crime victim resources that are available. 
The fair kicked off this year with an outstanding performance by the Lee’s Studio Dance Team. Today, approximately 700 students from Duval, Madison and Hayes middle schools will be participating in educational workshops such as Gang Prevention and Bullying as well as Internet Safety and Drug and Alcohol Prevention. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a K-9 demonstration and the always popular Charleston Fire Safety House. In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation will set up a Child I.D. tent.
One of the more interesting events is the Choice Bus. The Choice bus, from Alabama, is designed to teach students the importance of staying in school. Half of the bus is outfitted to represent a prison bus and the other half is outfitted to represent a school bus.
The Joint Committee on Government and Finance convened today at 2 p.m. to receive reports from required state agencies.