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End
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Link to Details on New Mexico's New Public Employee Collective Bargaining Law Legislature Ends on Note of Cooperation and Goodwill The 2003 Legislature came to an end at noon Saturday with signs that a new era in New Mexico politics has started. As Governor Richardson has stated on many occasions, gridlock in Santa Fe has definitely ended! The legislature ended with a signed budget for the first time since Bruce King was Governor! The only special session contemplated is one all sides agree is needed, a fall session to revamp New Mexico's tax code. Most observers agreed, given the national scene and New Mexico's finances, public schools faired remarkably well. First, no "bad" legislation even came close to passage. Vouchers and private school tax credits never made past even one committee hearing. Anti-union bills like so-called "pay check protection" measures never even surfaced. Attacks on school employee due process were scuttled by Republican members of the Senate Education Committee! Education funding compromises reached provide a 6% salary increase for teachers and other employees on the teacher salary schedule (beginning in December and continuing into the next school year), a $30,000 minimum salary for teachers, and at least a 3% raise for all other employees. We achieved a long standing goal to force a hard look at school district cash balances. Education reform legislation, stymied for four years by the previous governor finally passed! And finally, public employees received the respect they deserve, when public employee collective bargaining legislation was signed early in the legislative session!
Governor Signs Budget, Including School Funding Package/ Pledges Support for Constitutional Amendments and School Reform Early Friday evening, Governor Richardson signed the Budget, including the public school funding package. He has pledged to sign legislation providing major school reform, House Bill 212. The Governor also pledged to campaign around New Mexico for the constitutional amendments providing new funding for public schools and a secretary of education. NEA-New Mexico stands ready to join the Governor in asking the citizens to support public schools with their vote this fall. The election will take place on September 23, 2003. Legislature Passes Final Element of Funding Package The last piece of the Education Funding and Reform Package passed the Senate late Thursday night, House Bill 745, LIMIT SCHOOL DISTRICT CASH BALANCES. This measure provides the formula for calculating the amount of school district cash balances that will be used in this year's budget and sets limits on future cash balances; achieving a long-time legislative goal of NEA-New Mexico to force school districts to place all money on the table at budget and bargaining time, rather than squirrel away large cash balances. Legislature Passes School Budget and Salary Package 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 must be acted on by the
Governor by 7:42 PM Friday.
Amendment for New Revenue Source On Way to Voters in Special Election Senate Joint Resolution 6, sponsored by Senator Cynthia Nava passed both the House and Senate and will now go to the voters in a special election, probably in September 2003! The measure will, if approved by the voters, 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%. The change, if approved by the voters, will provide some $70,000,000 new money for public schools in the 2004-2005 school and budget year. School Reform Bill On Way to Governor 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 measure passed the House on Wednesday and is on its way to the Governor. State-level School Governance Changes to Go to Voters The Constitutional amendment requested by the Governor to create a Secretary of Education appointed by the Governor has cleared both the House and Senate and will be sent to the Voters in a special election. If the public passes the constitutional amendment, according to enabling legislation passed, Senate Bill 911, the secretary of education will temporarily assume the powers and duties of both the state board of education and the state superintendent of public instruction until July 1, 2004. The expectation is that the 2004 legislature will rewrite relevant portions of the public school code, many of which are automatically repealed on July 1, 2004 by Senate Bill 911. The ten elected members of the State Board of Education will become the State Public Education Commission, with powers and duties to be determined by law. Many of the the powers and duties of the Secretary of Education will also be determined by law after the effects of the enabling legislation sunset in July 2004.
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Congratulate
yourself for your hard work in last fall's election and for your efforts to
influence the Legislature and Governor. That effort made sure that the policy
makers measured up for public schools and public school employees!
The two constitutional amendments require no action by the Governor.
However the 