LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER

February 6, 2009

MAJOR HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

The bills relating to school board authority will be heard February 9–12. Check the complete hearing schedule for all the bills that are up next week, but NDSBA wants to call particular attention to the following:

Monday 10:00—SB2320—Grants collective bargaining rights to ALL public school employees

Monday 10:30—HB1519—Requires all negotiated agreements include a grievance procedure with COMPULSORY BINDING ARBITRATION

Tuesday 8:45—SB2341—Requires all districts offer K-12 education by 2013 or be dissolved

Wednesday 9:00—SB2289—Prohibits school board policy from expanding the definition of corporal punishment and requires consistent application within the district

Wednesday 10:00—SB2357—Requires an ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE to preside over discharge hearings for teachers, principals, and asst. superintendents and the JUDGE’S RULING IS BINDING

NDSBA strongly opposes these bills which threaten management rights of boards. Legislative action such as this would irreparably erode the credibility of boards as employers. Handing over employer rights of duly elected local school boards to binding arbitration and administrative law judges is unprecedented and unacceptable. We strongly urge you to speak with all your legislators about the crippling effects of these bills.

Update on Committee Activities February 2-6

House Education heard HB1469 which would require public school districts to provide textbooks to private schools at no charge. NDSBA opposed this use of taxpayer dollars for private schools. The bill received a DO NOT PASS recommendation from the committee.

HB1501 would prohibit any lease agreements between school districts and non-profit entities (primarily Building Authorities formed by the board) without a 60% vote of the people. NDSBA opposed this bill on the grounds it reduces school board authority currently allowed in law.

HB1564 and HB1443 mandate course offerings and/or graduation requirements in personal finance. NDSBA opposed these bills, as we will any bill requiring new or expanded course offerings not included in the original version of HB1400.

The health folks were back again this session with a bill (SB2398) mandating 15 minutes of “movement and exercise” every morning and every afternoon for elementary student. A new twist this year was mandating 30 minutes of “continuous movement exercise” at least three times a week for high school students. While these types of personal development ideas are worthy, they are NOT practical and do not fit in the school day that is already overcrowded with course requirements. Unless the legislature is willing to fund extending the school day, bills like SB2398 cannot work.

The House amendments for HB1400 were adopted at 6:30 on Thursday evening. While there were six pages of amendments, most were technical in nature. Substantive changes included:

Additional $2 million for transportation, bringing the total increase to $7 million
Eliminating .02 factor for pre-K programs and putting $1.5 million in competitive grant for qualified pre-K programs
$2.3 for teacher mentors and $500,000 for instructional coaches (this appropriation was removed previously but is restored in the amendments)
Lowering the foreign language requirement from 3 to 2 years
The engrossed bill will be available after the House has passed the amendments and the bill goes to Appropriations.

BE AWARE OF THE CRITICAL BILLS COMING UP NEXT WEEK AND SPEAK WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS IMMEDIATELY. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GOOD WORK!

Everyone has access to bill topics and texts, hearing schedules, and bill status reports at the Legislature’s Web site. NDSBA’s Web site includes this weekly Legislative Newsletter, hearing schedules for the upcoming week, and the list of bills NDSBA is tracking. Updated information will be posted Thursday or Friday each week depending on when information becomes available.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

ND State Web site: www.nd.gov

ND Legislative Information Web site: www.legis.nd.gov

Legislature Toll Free # 1-888-635-3447

Bismarck Legislative # 328-3373