The House Education Committee zipped through several bills Monday afternoon, ranging from charter school audits to student transportation.

Education Chair Roy Takumi said reps will be inserting new language into a broad charter school bill the Senate sent over to the House last week. He didn’t delve into specifics, but said the committee will take action on Senate Bill 244 Wednesday afternoon.

Legislation to give the Department of Education more control over contracting with bus companies was dealt a similar hand. Takumi said there will be some changes to Senate Bill 1082 when the committee hears it again in two days.

The committee passed a bill Monday that would give teachers a tax credit for work-related expenses. With a $250 cap, the credit would cost the state an estimated $3.5 million.

The teachers union, however, pointed at a recent survey showing 47 percent of respondents cited personal expenditures between $250 and $500 each year on classroom supplies, with many claiming expenses in excess of $1,000.

Aside from the charter school and student transportation bills, the Education Committee also plans to hear three early learning bills Wednesday. 

Last week the Senate passed the bills, which would create a state-funded preschool program. But the House has been playing wait-and-see, leaving funding for such a program out of the proposed budget until they are vetted.

— Nathan Eagle