Capital Pulse February 18, 2022

The Rundown

Your voices are being heard! The Senate version of the education retiree bonus bill, SB30, by Sen. Bobby Singleton – which will provide a more significant retiree bonus than Governor Ivey proposed – passed the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee Thursday afternoon. SB30 will provide a bonus check to TRS retirees based on months of service. For example, using the formula in this bill, retirees with 25 years of service could expect to receive a bonus check for approximately $600 ($2 per month of service). This bill is currently pending action of the full Senate. CONTACT YOUR SENATORS IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT THIS BILL!

AEA continues to diligently lobby for an educator pay raise greater than the four percent proposed in HB136.While we continue to advocate daily for this increase, it is now more critical than ever for legislators to hear from you!! CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY!

Thus far, 619 legislative bills have been introduced by the Legislature. AEA staff continues to read every bill and monitors them daily to ensure they will positively affect public education.

Moving This Week

HB123, by Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, would require each local board of education, subject to appropriations by the Legislature, to employ a mental health service coordinator in each school system to serve the schools under the jurisdiction of the board. HB123 passed the House and was referred to the Senate committee on Finance and Taxation Education.

HB331, by Rep. Pebblin Warren, would allow a child who becomes six years of age between September 1 and December 31, to be admitted to the first grade, as long as he or she has completed kindergarten or otherwise demonstrates first grade readiness. Additionally, it would provide for those circumstances where a child under five years of age on September 1 may be admitted to public kindergarten. HB331 received a favorable report in the House Education Policy Committee and is now eligible to go before the whole body of the House.

HB322, by Rep. Scott Stadthagen, would require public K-12 schools to designate all rooms that are accessible to multiple students of one sex to be used on the basis of their biological sex only. HB322 received a favorable report in the House Education Policy Committee and is now eligible to go before the whole body of the House.

HB307, by Rep. Alan Baker, would authorize the issuance of a professional educator certificate to qualified individuals who have held an alternative certificate for one year, instead of three years; it would also authorize the State Board of Education to authorize the State Superintendent of Education to issue a professional educator certificate to a qualified individual who completes an alternative teacher preparation program offered by an approved alternative teacher education preparation organization. HB307 received a favorable report in the House Education Policy Committee and is now eligible to go before the whole body of the House.

SB200, by Sen. Roger Smitherman, would postpone the implementation of the third-grade retention requirement until the 2024-2025 school year. SB200 received a favorable report in the Senate Education Policy Committee and is now eligible to go before the whole body of the Senate.

SB51, by Sen. Roger Smitherman, would require each local board of education, subject to appropriations by the Legislature, to employ a mental health service coordinator to serve the schools in each school system under the jurisdiction of the board. SB51 received a favorable report in the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee and is now eligible to go before the whole body of the Senate.

Newly Introduced

SB225, by Sen. Roger Smitherman, would provide a 6% salary increase for K-12, postsecondary education, DYS, and AIDB employees.

SB236, by Sen. Greg Albritton, would authorize the State Superintendent of Education to issue temporary senior educator certificates to individuals who are age 65 or older and hold a bachelor’s degree, to perform teaching, coaching, and other reasonable and necessary functions in public schools.

HB376, by Rep. Rex Reynolds, would allow retired educators to return to work full-time without suspension of their retirement benefits as long as there is a ninety-day break between their retirement and return to the workforce and their annual salary doesn’t exceed $52,000. Additionally, starting in 2024 and each year after, the annual earning limit will increase by the same percentage as the consumer price index.

Capital Pulse February 18, 2022

February 15-18, 2022