86R13096 MEW-D

By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 4560

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the salary, wages, and reimbursement paid to public school employees and state assistance for school employees uniform group health coverage; making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 21.402, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (c-2), (c-3), and (d) and amending Subsection (g) to read as follows:

(c-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2019-2020 school year, a classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time school 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 2019-2020 school year under the district's salary schedule for the 2018-2019 school year, if that schedule had been in effect for the 2019-2020 school year, including any local supplement and any money representing a career ladder supplement the employee would have received in the 2019-2020 school year; and

(2) $300.

(c-3) Subsection (c-2) and this subsection expire September 1, 2020.

(d) A classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time school counselor certified under Subchapter B, or full-time school nurse employed by a school district in the 2019-2020 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 2019-2020 school year.

(g) The commissioner may adopt rules to govern the application of this section, including rules that:

(1) require the payment of a minimum salary under this section to a person employed in more than one capacity for which a minimum salary is provided and whose combined employment in those capacities constitutes full-time employment; and

(2) specify the credentials a person must hold to be considered a [speech pathologist or] school nurse under this section.

SECTION 2. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 21.416 to read as follows:

Sec. 21.416. CLASSROOM SUPPLY REIMBURSEMENT. (a) For the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, a school district shall provide a reimbursement to each classroom teacher employed by the district of up to $500 for the cost of classroom supplies purchased by the teacher with the teacher's personal money for the benefit of students.

(b) A classroom teacher may be reimbursed under the classroom supply reimbursement program established under Section 21.414 for the cost of purchases eligible for reimbursement under that section for which the teacher is not reimbursed under Subsection (a).

(c) This section expires September 1, 2021.

SECTION 3. Section 22.107(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A school district shall pay each full-time district employee, other than an administrator or an employee subject to the minimum salary schedule under Section 21.402, an amount at least equal to $3,500 [$500].

SECTION 4. Section 42.2513(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(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 equal to the sum of:

(1) the product of $3,500 [$500] multiplied by the number of full-time district employees, other than administrators or employees subject to the minimum salary schedule under Section 21.402; [and]

(2) the product of $3,000 multiplied by the number of classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time school counselors certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, and full-time school nurses employed by the district; and

(3) the product of $250 multiplied by the number of part-time district employees, other than administrators.

SECTION 5. Section 42.260(c), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, a school district or participating charter school may use the sum of the following amounts of funds only to pay contributions under a group health coverage plan for district or school employees:

(1) the amount determined by multiplying the amount of $2,100 [$900] or the amount specified in the General Appropriations Act for that year for purposes of the state contribution under Section 1579.251, Insurance Code, by the number of district or school employees who participate in a group health coverage plan provided by or through the district or school; and

(2) the difference between the amount necessary for the district or school to comply with Section 1581.052, Insurance Code, for the school year and the amount the district or school is required to use to provide health coverage under Section 1581.051, Insurance Code, for that year.

SECTION 6. Section 1579.251, Insurance Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1579.251. STATE ASSISTANCE. (a) The state shall assist employees of participating school districts and charter schools in the purchase of group health coverage under this chapter by providing for each covered employee the amount of $2,100 [$900] each state fiscal year or a greater amount as provided by the General Appropriations Act. The state contribution shall be distributed through the school finance formulas under Chapters 41 and 42, Education Code, and used by school districts and charter schools as provided by Section 42.260, Education Code.

(b) The state shall assist employees of participating regional education service centers and educational districts described by Section 1579.002(5)(B) in the purchase of group health coverage under this chapter by providing to the employing service center or educational district, for each covered employee, the amount of $2,100 [$900] each state fiscal year or a greater amount as provided by the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 7. (a) In addition to other amounts appropriated to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2019, the amount of $1.57 billion is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2021, and may be used by the retirement system during that state fiscal biennium to increase school districts' recruitment and retention of school teachers and provide support to participants in the Texas Public School Employees Group Insurance Program authorized by Chapter 1575, Insurance Code.

(b) The Teacher Retirement System of Texas may use the money transferred under Subsection (a) of this section to:

(1) decrease the premiums and deductibles that would otherwise be paid during the 2020 and 2021 plan years by participants in the Texas Public School Employees Group Insurance Program authorized by Chapter 1575, Insurance Code; and

(2) reduce costs for an enrolled adult child with a mental disability or a physical incapacity during the 2020 and 2021 plan years.

(c) The Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall determine the most efficient allocation of the money transferred under Subsection (a) of this section to achieve the maximum benefit for participants in the program.

(d) This section takes effect only if this Act is approved by a vote of two-thirds of the members present in each house of the legislature, as provided by Section 49-g(m), Article III, Texas Constitution.

SECTION 8. Section 21.402(c-1), Education Code, is repealed.

SECTION 9. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.

SECTION 10. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.