SRC-JEC, TJG S.B. 34 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 34 78R1575 SLO-DBy: Zaffirini Education 5/7/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE For more than 30 years, the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) and the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) have paid their employees salaries commensurate with the Austin Independent School District (AISD). However, in the past several years, AISD has supplemented teacher salaries with assignment stipends for special education and bilingual education and hiring bonuses for teachers in critical shortage areas. TSBVI and TSD only have the authority to pay comparable "salaries," but hiring bonuses and stipends are not considered part of "salary." As proposed, S.B. 34 changes the stipulations to allow compensation to include hiring bonuses and assignment stipends. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 30.024(b), Education Code, by replacing "salary" with "compensation" and "salaries" with "compensation, including hiring bonuses and assignment stipends" when referring to employee pay under this subsection. Makes a conforming change. SECTION 2. Amends Section 30.055(b), Education Code, by making conforming changes relating to employee pay. SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004 school year. SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.