By:  Eltife, Ellis                                                S.B. No. 37 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the salary paid to certain professional employees of public schools, health care compensation supplementation for public school employees, and to appropriations for public school textbooks. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 21.402, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (c-1), (c-2), and (c-3) to read as follows: (c-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2005-2006 school year, a classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time counselor certified under Subchapter B, or full-time school nurse is entitled to a monthly salary that is at least equal to the sum of: (1) the monthly salary the employee would have received for the 2005-2006 school year, as applicable under the district's salary schedule for the 2004-2005 school year, if that schedule had been in effect for the 2005-2006 school year, including any local supplement and any money representing a career ladder supplement the employee would have received in the 2005-2006 school year; and (2) $100. (c-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2006-2007 school year, a classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time counselor certified under Subchapter B, or full-time school nurse is entitled to a monthly salary that is at least equal to the sum of: (1) the monthly salary the employee would have received for the 2006-2007 school year, as applicable under the district's salary schedule for the 2004-2005 school year, if that schedule had been in effect for the 2006-2007 school year, including any local supplement and any money representing a career ladder supplement the employee would have received in the 2006-2007 school year; and (2) $200. (c-3) Subsections (c-1), (c-2) and this subsection expire September 1, 2007. (d) A classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time counselor certified under Subchapter B, or full-time school nurse employed by a school district in the 2006-2007 [2000-2001] school year is, as long as the employee is employed by the same district, entitled to a salary that is at least equal to the salary the employee received for the 2006-2007 [2000-2001] school year. SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 42.2516 to read as follows: Sec. 42.2516. ADDITIONAL STATE AID OR CREDIT AGAINST COST OF ATTENDANCE CREDITS FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF SALARIES. (a) A school district, including a school district that is otherwise ineligible for state aid under this chapter, is entitled to state aid in an amount, as determined by the commissioner, equal to the product of $2,000 multiplied by the number of classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time counselors certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, and full-time school nurses employed by the district and entitled to a minimum salary under Section 21.402. (a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2005-2006 school year, a school district, including a school district that is otherwise ineligible for state aid under this chapter, is entitled to state aid in an amount, as determined by the commissioner, equal to the product of $1,000 multiplied by the number of classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time counselors certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, and full-time school nurses employed by the district and entitled to a minimum salary under Section 21.402. (a-2) Subsections (a-1) and this subsection expire September 1, 2006. (b) A school district that is required to take action under Chapter 41 to reduce its wealth per student to the equalized wealth level is entitled to a credit, in the amount of state aid to which the district is entitled under this section, against the total amount required under Section 41.093 for the district to purchase attendance credits. (c) A determination by the commissioner under this section is final and may not be appealed. (d) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this section. SECTION 3. Section 22.104, Education Code, as added by S.B. 1863, Acts of the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 22.104. DISTRIBUTION BY AGENCY. Subject to the availability of funds, each month the agency shall deliver to each district, including a district that is ineligible for state aid under Chapter 42, each other educational district that is a member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, each participating charter school, and each regional education service center state funds in an amount, as determined by the agency, equal to the product of the number of eligible employees employed by the district, school, or service center multiplied by the amount specified in the General Appropriations Act for purposes of this subchapter or $1,000, whichever is greater, and divided by 12. The agency shall distribute funding to only one entity for employees who are employed by more than one entity listed in this section. SECTION 4. Section 22.103, Education Code, as added by S.B. 1691, Acts of the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, is repealed. SECTION 5. It is the intent of the Legislature that textbooks for the 2005-06 school year be delivered timely to classrooms for the start of school. Recognizing that many schools begin classes in early or mid-August, time is of the essence in ensuring teachers and students have the resources they need to comply with state laws that require schools to teach the state's required curriculum. Notwithstanding H.B. No. 1, Acts of the 79th Legislature, 1st Called Session, 2005, or any other law, the Texas Education Agency shall expedite the process for timely delivery of such textbooks to classrooms upon passage of this Act, and funding in that bill for textbooks is not contingent upon passage of any other legislation. SECTION 6. It is the intent of the Legislature that the provisions in H.B. No. 1, Acts of the 79th Legislature, 1st Called Session, 2005, relating to funding for the provision of textbooks refer to an appropriation of $295 million for Proclamation 2002 textbooks for the 2005-06 school year. SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with the 2005-2006 school year. SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.