LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER
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The legislature will be voting on HB1400 and HB1013 (DPI budget) on Friday and Saturday, May 1-2. Our Post-Legislative Report will be posted on May 6.
April 24, 2009
Committees are Meeting,
but Progress is Slow
The Conference Committee schedule is packed everyday, into the evening, and even on Saturday. Even though committees are meeting and talking, significant movement on major bills is still slow. Committees are also discussing additional financial obligations to schools in bills unrelated to HB1400. Following are examples:
SB2021 (ITD budget): House Republicans are trying to cut funding for the Statewide Area Network which would pay for upgrades for school telecommunication services and funding to all schools for the Power School data system as the foundation for the state’s Longitudinal Data System. If cuts are made in Power School funding and ITD requires it, schools would have to pay $25 per student to meet the requirement. There is a possible compromise having the state pay $15 and schools pay $10. Many districts do not use Power School and a fee of $10 per student would be a big hit on their budgets.
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT FULL FUNDING OF POWER SCHOOL AND THE STATEWIDE AREA NETWORK IN SB2021. BOTH WERE IN THE GOVERNOR’S BUDGET AND SHOULD BE FULLY FUNDED!
There appears to be a move by the Employee Benefits Committee to increase employer contributions to TFFR by one-half percent. This was neither in a bill nor did the concept have a hearing. SB2277 is a bill appropriating state money to fund a 13th check to retired teachers next year. Several legislators do not want to fund the 13th check and would rather pass the cost along to school districts by raising their contribution. They also say making the increase permanent will help shore-up the TFFR fund which has sustained market losses. This amendment has not been adopted as of today, but if it is, it might come to the floor quickly for a vote.
LET YOUR LEGISLATORS KNOW THAT AN INCREASE IN EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AT THIS LATE DATE IN THE SESSION AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN HEARINGS DURING THE INTERIM.
The good news for today is that HB1400 is moving along smoothly with only minor and technical amendments being adopted thus far. It appears there may be agreement soon on early dismissal time for professional development, waivers for ending balances, and 70% teacher compensation language as related to federal stimulus money.
There will, however, certainly be a battle with the majority leadership in the House to maintain full funding of the formula in HB1013 (DPI budget).
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND TELL THEM HB1013 MUST BE AT THE LEVEL IN THE GOVERNOR’S BUDGET IN ORDER FOR SCHOOLS TO MEET NEW REQUIREMENTS IN HB1400.
More good news! The Conference Committee on HB1360 agreed to language in the original bill that gives teachers employed by REAs the same rights as those employed by school districts. We are grateful to members of this conference committee for their careful, fair deliberations. NDSBA will support passage of HB1360 in the House and Senate.
The Conference Committee on SB2199 (property and income tax relief) has met several times but has offered no amendments. A major concern for NDSBA is that the bill requires districts that have already gone to voters for an excess levy to go back to the voters by December 2012. It seems unreasonable to force the few districts that actually have gone to the voters for their levies to go back in only a couple years. The ten-year revote rule should start with passage of the bill.
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND ASK THEM TO BE FAIR TO ALL DISTRICTS AND ALLOW THE FEW DISTRICTS WITH VOTER-APPROVED LEVIES 10 YEARS FROM THE PASSAGE OF SB2199 TO REVOTE.
We are still hoping the legislature will finish its work before May 6 so we can make our first post-legislative meeting in Grand Forks. The House majority leadership’s insistence on cutting budgets is making progress very slow. We’ll let you know if the dates change.
Stay tuned and stay in touch with your legislators!
Post Legislative Meetings (tentative schedule)
| *May 6 | 6:30 p.m. | Grand Forks Public Schools (TBA) |
| *May 7 | 6:30 p.m. | Fargo Public Schools District Office Board Room 415 N 4th Street |
| May 13 | 6:30 p.m. | Minot Public Schools District Office Conference Room 215 2nd St SE |
| May 14 | 6:30 p.m. | Bismarck Public Schools Hughes Educational Center Board Room 806 N Washington St. |
*These dates are “tentative” depending on the conclusion date of the Legislative Session
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
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