[CSPS] FW: Double Double Toil and Trouble
Gene and Maggie Charleton
charletons at cox.net
Thu May 19 11:25:06 CDT 2005
This may answer some questions. Maggie
-----Original Message-----
From: TSTA Briefing [mailto:briefing at tstaweb.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:34 AM
To: charleton at cox-internet.com
Subject: Double Double Toil and Trouble
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May 19, 2005
<http://www.tstaweb.net/mail/images/dome.jpg> Double Double Toil and
Trouble
What's the legislature been up to? Here's the five-second version:
. Voucher language has been attached to the TEA Sunset Bill.
. The TRS omnibus bill has resurfaced.
. The Conference Committee on HB 2 appears to be waiting until the
Conference Committee on HB 3 finishes its work before meeting again.
. The House voted to improve its own retirement benefits while the
Senate worked on cutting yours.
<http://www.tstaweb.net/mail/images/VOUCHERS.jpg> Vouchers Back on the
Table in House Public Education
HB 1263 by Harper-Brown (R-Irving) was attached to the TEA Sunset bill
yesterday afternoon. In a party line vote, the six Republican members voted
for the amendment. TSTA along with numerous other organizations will be
gearing up for a floor fight over the bill. The author of the TEA Sunset
bill, Jackson (R-Pasadena), vowed he would pull the bill down if vouchers
were added to it in the House.
Other bills passed out of committee:
. SB 188 by Zaffirini (D-Laredo). Directs the Commissioner to adopt
a memorandum of understanding on a process to assign an accreditation status
for schools of the blind and if necessary, make on-site accreditation
investigations. TSTA took no position.
. SB 189 by Zaffirini. Allows districts to conduct an assessment and
charge a reasonable fee for an assessment related to visual impairment of a
student. Provides that the school for the blind may pay a teacher no more
than an employee in a comparable position in Austin ISD. TSTA took no
position.
. CSSB 42 by Nelson (R-Flower Mound). Shifts from the local school
board to the Commissioner the responsibility for annually reporting the
policies adopted by each school district to ensure that elementary students
get at least 30 minutes per day of physical activity, the policies
restricting student access to vending machines, and policies prescribing
penalties for the use of tobacco products on campus or at school sponsored
activities. TSTA took no position on the bill.
. SB 190 by Zaffirini. Provides that the school for the deaf is not
intended to serve students whose needs are appropriately addressed in a
home, residential or hospital setting. A district may conduct an assessment
and charge a reasonable fee for a hearing impairment assessment. Provides
that the school for the deaf may not pay a teacher more than a comparable
employee in Austin ISD. No position.
. SB 387 by Deuell (R-Greenville). Directs the SBOE by rule to adopt
guidelines for general textbook content standards and directs the SBOE to
reject textbooks that do not comply with those standards. Current law
provides textbooks shall be free of factual errors. This expands that
provision to include errors of commission or omission, discrimination or
special interest advocacy on major issues as determined by the SBOE. TSTA
supports the bill.
. CSSB 422 by Jackson (R -Pasadena). This is the TEA sunset bill.
TSTA did not take a position on the original bill, but the Committee
Substitute provides for vouchers, which TSTA opposes.
. SB 483 by Staples (R-Palestine). Allows designated school
libraries to participate in group purchasing agreements with the TexShare
Library Consortium. TSTA supported the House companion bill, HB 661, which
is currently pending in the Senate Government Organization Committee.
. SB 1395 by Shapiro (R-Plano). Authorizes the establishment of a
high school diploma program operated by the Job Corps of the U.S. Department
of Labor. TSTA took no position
Left pending: SB 426 by Shapleigh (D-El Paso), which encourages districts to
provide community access to school campuses after school hours; provides for
K-6 students to have physical activity for up to 30 minutes a day; and
creates a small pilot program to provide fruits and vegetables as snacks and
evaluate the results. The bill was left pending, with no position taken by
TSTA.
While Chairman Grusendorf mentioned last night that today's meeting would be
the last Public Education Committee meeting of this session, TSTA remains
vigilant.
Also in the House, the Committee on Insurance on May 16 passed SB 1448 by
Averitt (R-Waco). The bill would make the health insurance provided by or
offered through a school district portable by school employees moving from
one school district to another. TSTA testified in favor of the bill.
<http://www.tstaweb.net/mail/images/Duncan_Action.jpg> TRS Omnibus Bill
Passes Senate
CSSB 1691, the TRS omnibus bill, was brought to the Senate floor yesterday
by Sen. Duncan. In order to consider a bill, the Senate must suspend their
rules, which takes a 2/3 vote of members present and voting. Sen. Barrientos
tried to dissuade senators from voting for the motion to suspend by
clarifying some of the bill's negative aspects and reminding them that
nothing in this bill will provide an increase for already retired educators.
Barrientos made the point that the legislature ought to increase funding for
TRS, not reduce benefits for future retirees.
On a 20-10 vote, the Senate barely suspended the rules to consider CSHB
1691. In fact, the vote was left open for several minutes to allow senators
who were not on the floor to get to the chamber and vote. Voting not to
suspend the rules (in other words, with TSTA) were Democrats Barrientos,
Ellis, Gallegos, Hinojosa, Shapleigh, Van de Putte, West, Whitmire and
Zaffirini and Republican Eltife.
After further discussion the bill was finally passed on an identical 20-10
vote. It now goes to the House where it will have to be referred to a
committee, approved by the committee, then approved by the full House before
midnight, May 24 (the last day the House can consider a Senate bill on
second reading).
Better Retirement Benefits: Yes for Legislature, No for You
On Tuesday, the House voted to increase the salaries of judges because they
are overworked and underpaid. In so doing, they also automatically increased
all of their own retirement benefits. The irony of the legislature
increasing their retirement benefits while the Senate is in the process of
reducing TRS benefits for current and future educational employees was
apparently lost on the Senate. Read the Dallas Morning News story here:
<http://www.tstaweb.net/massmail/lt/t_go.php?i=134&e=NTIwNTU=&l=http://www.d
allasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/051805dntexraise
s.ba42a1d4.html>
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/0518
05dntexraises.ba42a1d4.html
<http://www.tstaweb.net/mail/images/cancelled.jpg> Work on HB 3 Begins
While HB 2 Waits
An agenda was posted, the time was set for 11 a.m. yesterday...but the
meeting of the Conference Committee on HB 2 was cancelled at the last
minute, subject to the call of the chair. The Conference Committee on HB 3
had an organization meeting at 4 p.m. The latest word is that the Conference
Committee on HB 2 will wait for the Conference Committee on HB 3 to finish
its work before meeting again. Conference Committee members can be found at
http://www.tsta.org/legislative/update/conferencecmte.shtml
<http://www.tstaweb.net/massmail/lt/t_go.php?i=134&e=NTIwNTU=&l=http://www.t
sta.org/legislative/update/conferencecmte.shtml> .
..
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