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Legislative Update – March 6, 2008 Day 19 |
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Related Websites
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Governor Dave Freudenthal delivers his State of the State address. His speech can be found at on his website:
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· Today’s Action
We would like to add further clarification to yesterday’s Legislative Update regarding the amendment that passed during third reading of Senate File 70 – School finance amendments. Last night’s update reported that WEA member, Representative Ross Diercks’ second reading amendment was eliminated from this bill. This was not the case, only a portion of his amendment was removed.
The following are the issues that were included in these amendments and their final outcomes: 1. Teachers will still have to obtain additional training from the Wyoming Department of Education before they can teach summer school courses. This training will be expanded to include “other remedial methods.” Past training was limited to research-based enriched learning strategies. 2. The language “or other remedial methods” remained in the bill and has been added to the law. It allows flexibility to the allowable curriculum and strategies of summer school. This language allows remedial programs, not just programs described as enrichment to be a part of the summer school curriculum. Broadening this language allows school districts and teachers additional flexibility with summer school programs.
We apologize for any confusion this error may have caused.
One Day Left! The 2008 Legislative Session is winding down to a close. We expect a little work tomorrow, but all of the heavy lifting is done. Again, to all who have helped lobby legislators, you have made a difference and thank you.
Senate File 21 – Hathaway scholarship program died yesterday in conference committee. This bill would have allowed students whose GPA dropped below the threshold while in college, to earn their scholarship back, if they paid their own tuition and brought their GPA back up. The conference committee’s reasoning was funding. The increased cost of adding this to the program could have been more than the trust fund was capable of providing. Legislators have agreed to look at these additions in the future.
WEA’s Legislative Outcomes 2008
K-12 – Issues identified prior to the session 1. ESP Due Process - House Bill 112 – Education Support Personnel o Did not receive the number of votes needed for introduction § The vote count was 38 in support and 22 against. We needed 40 votes for introduction in order for the bill to move further through the process. § WEA will bring this issue back for the 2009 Legislative Session and because it is a general session an introductory vote will not be needed. 2. 4.3% External Cost Adjustment – Budget Bill o Passed § This was a part of the budget bill and was never in danger during this legislative session. This is important to members, as it is the new money coming to districts that you will likely bargain with for salaries and benefits. 3. School Facilities Funding – Budget Bill o Passed § This was also a part of the budget bill. The $452 million that the Governor approved remained in the budget throughout the legislative process and will be used to build schools around the state. 4. Graduation Rates – House Bill 40 – Schools – compulsory attendance o Died in the House Education Committee on a 4-5 vote § This bill would have raised the minimum age a student could drop out from 16 to 17 years old and required a parent’s signature. WEA is still committed to working on the dropout issue in the future. 5. Public Library Matching Endowments – Senate File 29 o Passed § Provides public libraries an opportunity to raise funds through a matching endowment program from the state.
K-12 – Additional items that came up during the session 1. HB 152 – State board of charter schools · Failed introduction 38-22 · The WEA is not opposed to charter schools; however, this bill had a long list of concerns including that charter schools would no longer have been under the auspices of their local school board. The WEA lobby team worked very hard to kill this bill. We expect charter schools to be an item of discussion for years to come. 2. SF 45 – School districts – payment of employee association dues · Failed third reading in the Senate · This bill would have kept school districts from paying dues to professional organizations, including the WEA. WEA members from across the state were instrumental in our success in defeating this bill that took away local control. THANK YOU 3. SF 53 – Common school reserve account funding · Passage of this bill is great news. It takes the funding left over after the Hathaway Scholarship trust fund is full and puts it in the Common School Trust Land Account, assuring that it will be spent on education and that there are some reserves available for education when our economy has a downturn. 4. SF 70 – School finance – amendments · This was the omnibus education bill for the legislative session and included funding for summer school, career technical education, at-risk, distance ed., instructional facilitators and food service. WEA was instrumental in preserving the funding for additional instructional facilitators and food service. Thanks to all members who helped! Higher Ed – Issues identified prior to the session 1. New Community College Funding Formula and $15 million to fully fund its implementation · This was not in the Governor’s budget and the Joint Appropriations Committee did not add this to the budget. No bills or budget amendments were brought forward that addressed this issue. 2. Cost of Living Adjustment · The Legislature did include a COLA for community college employees. Unfortunately, it does not provide the funding needed for a 4 percent salary increase to all community college employees. This increase funds a four percent increase on 62 percent of the fund 10 employees, only. No bills or budget amendments were brought forward that addressed this issue. 3. $15 million for workforce development – HB 28- Workforce training appropriation · Failed introduction in the House · There was no attempt to bring this funding back with another bill or a budget amendment. Higher Ed – Additional items that came up during the session 1. Higher Ed Task Force · The budget includes language that requires a legislative task force to address community college issues. They will address a list of items including funding streams and governance and will report their findings to the Joint Education Committee in the Fall. 2. Approval of construction of residence halls · The Legislature is required to approve construction projects for the community colleges, whether funded by the college, or the Legislature. Almost every campus had a dormitory that they were funding locally that needed to be approved by the Legislature. All of these projects were approved in the budget.
There are several other bills we worked during the legislative session and they are included in the chart below.
Bills WEA worked this year Please watch for positions that change throughout the session. Most of these changes are due to amendments to bills.
Number Link to Introduced version
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