By Staples                                             S.B. No. 655
         77R5851 KKA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to minimum salaries for public school classroom teachers,
 1-3     librarians, counselors, and nurses.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 21.402, Education Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (i) to read as
 1-7     follows:
 1-8           (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), (e), [or] (f), or
 1-9     (i),  a school district must pay each classroom teacher, full-time
1-10     librarian, full-time counselor certified under Subchapter B, or
1-11     full-time school nurse not less than the minimum monthly salary,
1-12     based on the employee's level of experience, determined by the
1-13     following formula:
1-14                                MS = SF X FS
1-15     where:
1-16           "MS" is the minimum monthly salary;
1-17           "SF" is the applicable salary factor specified by Subsection
1-18     (c); and
1-19           "FS" is the amount, as determined by the commissioner under
1-20     Subsection (b), of state and local funds per weighted student
1-21     available to a district eligible to receive state assistance under
1-22     Section 42.302 with an enrichment tax rate, as defined by Section
1-23     42.302, equal to the maximum rate authorized under Section 42.303.
1-24           (i)  A school district must pay each classroom teacher,
 2-1     full-time librarian, full-time counselor certified under Subchapter
 2-2     B, or full-time school nurse with at least 25 years of experience a
 2-3     monthly salary that is not less than $500 greater than the minimum
 2-4     monthly salary required to be paid under Subsection (a)  to a
 2-5     person with 20 or more years of experience.
 2-6           SECTION 2. Sections 21.403(a) and (c), Education Code, are
 2-7     amended to read as follows:
 2-8           (a)  A teacher, librarian, counselor, or nurse shall advance
 2-9     one step on the minimum salary schedule under Section 21.402 for
2-10     each year of experience as a teacher, librarian, counselor, or
2-11     nurse until step 20 is reached.  After reaching step 20, additional
2-12     years of experience are rewarded in accordance with Section
2-13     21.402(i).
2-14           (c)  The commissioner shall adopt rules for determining the
2-15     experience for which a teacher, librarian, counselor, or nurse is
2-16     to be given credit in placing the teacher, librarian, counselor, or
2-17     nurse on the minimum salary schedule and for determining the
2-18     entitlement of the person to compensation under Section 21.402(i).
2-19     A district shall credit the teacher, librarian, counselor, or nurse
2-20     for each year of experience without regard to whether the years are
2-21     consecutive.
2-22           SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
2-23     school year.
2-24           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-25     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-26     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-27     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 3-1     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.