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AEA Continues to Seek Support of HB 1413
HB 1413, an appropriation bill to authorize expenditures for the Public School Employee Health Insurance program, would set an additional $25 million for the health insurance program in the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena and seventy-nine other House members. Senator Jimmy Jeffress (D-Crossett) is the lead Senate sponsor. Thanks to your efforts, we have gained several Senate co-sponsors for this bill.
But we need more in order for it to pass the Joint Budget Committee with funding. Additional Senate co-sponsors are: Denny Altes, R-Fort Smith; Paul Bookout, D-Jonesboro; Shane Broadway, D-Bryant; Steve Bryles, D-Little Rock; Joyce Elliot, D-Little Rock, Barbara Horn, D-Foreman; Gene Jeffress, D-Louanne; David Johnson, D-Little Rock; Johnny Key, R-Mountain Home; Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville; Paul Miller, D-Melbourne; Mary Anne Salmon, D-North Little Rock; Jerry Taylor, D-Pine Bluff; Larry Teague, D-Nashville; Robert Thompson, D-Paragould; Sharon Trusty, R-Russellville; Hank Wilkins IV, D-Pine Bluff; and Ed Wilkinson, D-Greenwood.
Senators who need to be contacted and encouraged to support this bill are: Gilbert Baker, R-Conway; Cecile Blesdoe, R-Rogers; John Paul Capps, D-Searcy; Jack Crumbly, D-Widener; Kim Hendren, R-Gravette; Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow; Randy Laverty, D-Jasper; Percy Malone, D-Arkadelphia; Bill Pritchard, R-Elkins; Ruth Whitaker, R-Cedarville; and David Wyatt, D-Batesville.
If any of these members represent your area, please contact them and urge them to co-sponsor this important bill. You may contact your senator online. Go to www.capwiz.com/nea/ar/state/main/?state=AR&view=myofficials
FOI Exemption Bill Goes to House Rules Committee
HB1859, the bill supported by AEA that would exempt licensed education employees from the FOI Act under certain conditions, may go before the House Rules Committee on Wednesday.
The Rules Committee normally meets at noon Wednesdays. However, no agenda as been prepared, so we are not certain which bills will be discussed. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena. This bill would exempt the following items from the FOI Act:
- All records, hearings, meetings and deliberations pertaining to an ethics complaint against an administrator or teacher.
- All records, hearings, meetings and deliberations pertaining to an ethics complaint that falls within the definition of child maltreatment under the Arkansas Child Maltreatment Act. However, these items would be subject public disclosure following a final adjudicative decision by the Arkansas State Board of Education, to the extent that such a disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. We encourage you to contact members of the Rules Committee and encourage them to support this bill.
The chair is Rep. Robert Moore (D-Arkansas City).Members are: Reps. Fred Allen, D-Little Rock; Tommy Baker, D-Osceola; Otis Davis, D-Earle; Rick Green, R-Van Buren; Steve Harrelson, D-Texarkana; Johnny Hoyt, D-Morrilton; Barry Hyde, D-North Little Rock; Keith Ingram, D-West Memphis; Bobby Pierce, D-Sheridan; Gregg Reep, D-Warren; Rick Saunders, D-Hot Springs; Linda Tyler, D-Conway; Kathy Webb, D-Little Rock; and Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock. If any of these members represent your area, please contact them and urge them to co-sponsor this important bill.
You may contact your representative online. Go to www.capwiz.com/nea/ar/state/main/?state=AR&view=myofficials
Changes Listed to ESP Fair Dismissal Act
HB 1921 makes several changes to the current Public School Employee Fair Hearing Act. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Barbara Nix, D-Benton; Johnnie Roebuck, D-Arkadelphia; and Jim Nickels, D-North Little Rock; and Sens. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock and Shane Broadway, D-Bryant.
The changes are:
- For a full-time nonprobationary employee, a contract automatically renews 45 days before it expires unless the superintendent notifies the employee in writing that he or she is recommending nonrenewal
- A written notice shall include a simple but complete statement of each reason for recommending the nonrenewal of a contract
- A written notice of suspension shall include a simple but complete statement of each reason for immediate or recommended suspension
- The salary of the suspended full-time employee stops once the school board sustains the suspension
- A record of the termination, nonrenewal or suspension hearing is preserved with a copy of the transcript to the employee
- At the hearing, no new reasons shall be considered by the board that were not contained in the written notice
- The decision by the school board for the termination or nonrenewal of a full-time probationary employee (less than 1 year of employment) is final
- The termination or nonrenewal of a full-time nonprobationary employee may be for:
o A reduction in force
o Incompetent performance
o Conduct that materially interferes with continued performance of duties
o Repeated or material neglect of duties Or other just and reasonable cause
- Within 10 days of the hearing for a full time nonprobationary employee, the board shall uphold the superintendent?s recommendation to terminate or nonrenew the contract, reject or modify the recommendation or vote to continue the contract under such restrictions, limitations, or assurances as the board considers in the best interest of the school district
- After the hearing of a full-time employee under this subchapter, the school board shall make specific conclusions with regard to the truth of each reason given in the notice
- A nonprobationary full-time employee may appeal the decision of the school board to the circuit court of the county in which the district is located
- The termination, nonrenewal or suspension shall be void unless the school district substantially complies with this subchapter and the applicable school district policies
- All full-time employees shall be annually evaluated in writing
- The employee's supervisor shall bring performance problems to the employee's attention and offer assistance
- The district shall maintain personnel files
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