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HB 973 by Rep. Rob Eissler: Ensures that a person who resigns at the end of the school year is entitled to health insurance coverage and funding throughout the remainder of the contract year. HB 973 was signed by the governor and goes into effect Sept. 1, 2007.
HB 1622 by Rep. Dianne Delisi: Provides that district grievance policies must allow an employee to report a grievance against a supervisor to a different supervisor. HB 1622 has been signed by the governor and goes into effect Sept. 1, 2007.
SB 135 by Sen. Jeff Wentworth: Provides that a school district's employment policy cannot restrict an employee from communicating directly with a school board member on a matter relating to the district's operations. SB 135 was signed into law on April 23, 2007.
SB 370 by Sen. Florence Shapiro: Provides that a school district or district policy may not require an employee to assume liability for an act for which the employee is immune, or require an employee to pay for or replace property that was in the employee's possession due to an act within the scope of the employee's position. It also specifies that a school board may not require an employee to pay for electronic textbooks or technological equipment that is damaged, stolen, misplaced or not returned. SB 370 has been signed by the governor and goes into effect immediately.
SB 1039 by Sen. Eddie Lucio: Ensures that return-to-work retirees who are required to work days in June (but no later than June 15) because of the later start date that begins next school year will still be able to receive a pension check in June. Also provides that if a rehired retiree is required to attend a staff development activity in June or July, that time is not counted as “work” that would potentially endanger the June or July check.
SB 1067 by Sen. Florence Shapiro: Tightens notification requirements regarding potentially dangerous students, and requires placement in a DAEP or JJAEP of a student who is a registered sex offender. SB 1067 was attached as an amendment to SB 6 and HB 2532, both of which passed.
TRS contribution rates and 13th check for retirees: TCTA-initiated HB 468 was the first bill of the session to propose the 13th check benefit increase for retirees. Ultimately, authorization of the 13th check was included in SB 1846, which has been sent to the governor’s desk. TRS is in the process of interpreting the bill. Keep checking the TCTA website for new information regarding the contribution rate for active members and the likely payment period for a 13th check.
Limitations on field testing: TCTA’s bill limiting field testing of standardized assessment instruments on a particular campus to no more than once every four years did not pass, but the concept was included in the bill that replaces high school TAKS testing with end-of-course exams. In that bill, SB 1031, field testing is limited to no more than once every other year. SB 1031 has been sent to the governor and is awaiting action.
Confidentiality of teacher certification exam scores: When a Houston TV station obtained and released the certification scores of thousands of area teachers in May, TCTA quickly responded by proposing language to address the problem and getting it inserted in a major piece of legislation. The final version of SB 9, the bill strengthening criminal background checks of school employees, includes provisions protecting the confidentiality of teacher certification exam scores. Language insisted upon by the Senate limits the confidentiality only to five takes of the same exam; scores on subsequent exams will not be confidential. SB 9 has been sent to the governor and is awaiting action.
Exemption from return-to-work surcharge for many retirees: TCTA’s bill to grandfather employees who retired on or before Aug. 31, 2005, from the TRS surcharges that districts must pay for rehired retirees did not receive a hearing, but the provision was included in SB 1846, a major TRS bill, and remained in that bill throughout the process.
Disclosure of health insurance information: The TRS Sunset bill discontinued the health insurance comparability study that TRS has performed for the last several years; the study compares the health plans provided by districts to the state employee health plan to determine whether the district offers comparable coverage as required by law. A TCTA-initiated amendment to the Sunset bill requires that the information that districts send to TRS regarding their health plans must still be posted on the TRS website (though TRS will no longer certify comparability) and districts must make available their health insurance policies on their websites or at each campus.
Web posted: 06/01/07
