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Legislative
Session Contacts for Legislators-Phone: (505) 986-4300, Letters: Funding,
Reform, and Compensation Deals Appear Near The House, Senate, and the Governor’s office have apparently agreed to fund House Bill 212, the education reform bill, as the central part of this year’s public education funding. In addition to language already contained the bill, amendments were added in House Education Committee Friday Morning to provide: ¨A 6% raise for all teachers and instructional staff starting in December of 2003 (about 1/3 of the way through the year). ¨ A guaranteed minimum salary for beginning teachers of $30,000 starting at the beginning of the next school year. ¨ A 2% raise for all classified staff starting at the beginning of the next school year. ¨ Caps on school district cash balances and the requirement that school districts use 1% of non-instructional budgets along with 1/2 % from cash balances to help fund salary increases were also included in the amendments. House Education Chair Rick Miera released this information on Friday morning as the House Education Committee gave a unanimous do-pass recommendation to House Bill 212, amended to reflect the above. The NEA-NM and NMFEE joint lobby teams spoke in support of the funding compromise. The effort is the foundation of fundamental changes in education for the state. If we remember that early proposals had only teachers getting any salary increase and the potential for cuts in school district non-instructional personnel, this compromise is a great step in the right direction. We will continue to pursue help with insurance premiums and a supplemental salary increase for the current year as described below. Couple these efforts with the almost realized public employee bargaining bill, and we have a pretty successful outcome for public schools. Especially when we consider that most of our neighboring states are dealing with deficits and proposing cuts in public education funding. We need to urge all legislators to pass House Bill 212 as amended and thank House Education Committee Members, especially Chair Miera, for their leadership in this important school reform process. Additionally, the bill sponsored by Representative Mimi Stewart for the Legislative Education Study Committee, will provide a new licensure system for teachers tied to minimum salary levels. While the bill mainly addresses teachers, it is a good first step to comprehensive reform and is supported by most education advocacy groups. Contact Legislators Regarding Permanent Educational Funding We need to begin contacting all House Members, and all Senators as well as Governor Richardson, immediately regarding future funding for public schools Our message must be simple:
Senate Bill 46 will likely be on the Senate Floor on Monday, February 17 (another good reason to come to Santa Fe that day). This measure, the Senate version of public employee bargaining received a do-pass recommendation in the Senate Finance Committee Thursday afternoon. Ask all Senators to support school employees' (and other public employees) collective bargaining rights by voting for Senate Bill 46. The vote in the Finance Committee was:
The House version of the
public employee bargaining bill House
Bill 508, sponsored by
House
Speaker Ben Lujan goes next to
the House
Appropriations and Finance Committee. Call committee members and all House Members
and ask them to support House
Bill 508. Bill to Help with Health Insurance Premiums Gets Do-Pass House Bill 276, State Contribution to Group Insurance, introduced by Representative Pauline Ponce, received a do-pass recommendation from the House Education Committee on Wednesday. This bill will increase the employer contribution for group insurance to 75% of premium for the lowest paid employees and will increase the premium amount for everyone else by 5% next year. The rate gradually increases to 80% for all employees over the next several years. The measure goes next to the House Appropriation and Finance Committee, ask committee members to support this important financial benefit for employees in this year of inflated health insurance premiums. Teacher Salaries We have received assurances from House Leaders that House Bill 451, providing 18 million dollars for a one time one percent increase for all school employees in the current school year will move out of the House soon. The bill was introduced by Representative Sheryl Williams-Stapleton. This legislation fulfills House Democrats pledge to provide supplemental salary funding this year following their approval of the Budget negotiated in the Extraordinary Session of the Legislature last summer. Urge Democratic House Members to keep their pledge and support this token salary increase now. The measure's first hearing will be in the House Education Committee, likely on Monday at 8:00 AM (yet, another good reason to come to Santa Fe that day). Speak Up for Our Friends Ask members to not be fooled by Republican party "robo" calls into the districts of House members who voted for the Governor's tax package and for protection of school funding against revenue shortfalls. It has come to our attention that calls critical of Representatives Ponce, Cordova, and Swisstack have been made. These representatives voted for your interests by supporting Speaker Lujan's proposal to protect school funds against unforeseen consequences of the tax cut! Tax Compromise Signed The tax cut compromise bill was signed Friday afternoon. Funds were protected by delaying the final imposition of the tax cut for a year. a Speaker Lujan committed to making funding safety net a major discussion item in the Blue Ribbon Tax Commission created to study New Mexico's tax code before a special session of the Legislature in the Fall to deal exclusively with tax code changes. Plan to Spend Presidents' Day in Santa Fe for Education Lobby Day on February 17
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