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Legislative
Session Contacts for Legislators-Phone: (505) 986-4300, Letters:
Link to State Department of Education Bill Analyses as .pdf documents Link to Details on New Mexico's New Public Employee Collective Bargaining Law Education Funding Package Passes The Conference Committee Report on the the General Appropriations Act, including public school funding, passed the House and Senate on Tuesday. There was no change from the Senate version passed earlier. The measure is on its way to the Governor. The major components of the measure regarding school funding include:
Amendment for New Revenue Source Moves to House Calendar Senate Joint Resolution 6, sponsored by Senator Cynthia Nava received a do-pass recommendation in the House Taxation and Revenue Committee late Monday. The measure is on the House Calendar for Wednesday. We need to urge all members of House to support this important opportunity for voters to express their support for education. As originally drafted, the measure would have placed a constitutional amendment before the voters to amend the state constitution to increase from 4.7 percent to 6.0 percent the amount of the annual distribution from the Permanent Fund to public schools and other recipients of money from the Permanent Fund, providing about 77 million new dollars annually for public schools. The measure was amended by Senator Manny Aragon to gain the needed support to pass the Senate. The amendments decrease the amount of money allotted from the permanent and gradually reduce that amount over 12 years. The amendments allot a 5% distribution for the rest of fiscal year 2004 (through June 30, 2004) a 5.8% distribution (the original measure had 6%) for eight years beginning July1, 2004 (about 65 million new dollars), then a 5.5% distribution for five years and a 5% distribution in perpetuity. The amendment also set a base of 5.8 billion dollars beneath which the permanent will not be allowed to drop; if the fund goes below this amount, the distribution rate reverts to 4.7%. School Reform Bill Passes Senate The final piece of the education reform package is House Bill 212, sponsored by Representative Mimi Stewart for the Legislative Education Study Committee. This is the major reform measure supported by NEA-New Mexico for this legislative session. The Bill, representing the recommendations of the Education Reform Task Force, passed the House last Friday. Passage of this measure is also vital to completing the education reform agreements. The measure provides real reform including a new licensure system for teachers tied to minimum salary levels, which when fully implemented after five years, will provide $30,000 starting salary for level I licenses, $40,000 minimum salaries for level II licenses, and $50,000 minimum salaries for level III licenses. While the bill mainly addresses teachers, it is a good first step to comprehensive reform and is supported by most education advocacy groups. The bill passed the Senate Tuesday with some technical amendments and one floor amendment. The House must decide whether on not to concur with the Senate floor amendment, which will require that probationary schools not use teachers on waivers. The House will either concur or a brief conference committee will be necessary. Either way the measure should be on its way to the Governor by late tomorrow!
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