HB 1918 and HB 2101 Are Pulled Down

Thanks to your efforts in contacting legislators, the sponsors of two very critical bills have pulled them down and agreed to work with AEA on writing amendments, so that these bills will be more beneficial to school employees.

HB 1918, sponsored by Eddie Hawkins, D-Vilonia, would reduce the number of paid 15-minute breaks from two a day to one a day for classified school employees who work more than 20 hours per week and up to 35 hours a week. There is currently no law that specifies that classified school employees will also be given a lunch break, unless it is stated in individual school policy. If this bill passes, it is possible that an employee may only have a single 15-minute break during a seven-hour work day.

HB 2101, sponsored by Rep. Monty Betts, D-Searcy, would remove the teacher's authority to schedule their 200 minutes of preparation time as they saw fit. These 200 minutes are currently given to teachers to be used at their discretion. The amendment permits parent-teacher conferences and "collaborative meetings" with other staff to be held during the 200 minute minimum. The bill also permits planning time in excess of the 200 minutes for student achievement, assessment or district-wide instructional planning. Under the current proposal, there is no guarantee that any preparation time is reserved for planning and preparing for classroom instruction.We will keep you updated on amendments to these bills. Again, thank you for your hard work!

Ask Your Senators to Support HB 1464
HB 1464 was referred to the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor today.  This bill, sponsored by Jim Nickels, D-North Little Rock, would raise the minimum wage in Arkansas to $7.25 beginning July 24. This wage would be equal to the federal minimum wage.

If your senator is a member of this committee, please ask him or her to support HB 1464. Members of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor are: Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway; Sen. Cecile Bledsoe, R-Rogers; Sen. Jack Crumbly, D-Widener; Sen. Barbara Horn, D-Foreman; Sen. Randy Laverty, D-Jasper; Sen. Percy Malone, D-Arkadelphia; Sen. Bill Pritchard, R-Elkins; and Sen. Tracy Steele, D-North Little Rock.You may contact your senator online. Go to

www.capwiz.com/nea/ar/state/main/?state=AR&view=myofficials

Achievement Gap Legislation Passes
SB889, sponsored by Sen. Steve Bryles, D-Blytheville, received a “Do Pass” in the Senate Education Committee this morning. The bill is part of a package of bills supported by the AEA, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and the Arkansas Public Policy Panel designed to help schools close the student achievement gaps. The bill requires the Department of Education to provide a detailed report of National School Lunch Student Categorical Fund expenditures and results from programs funded by these funds.

Health Care for America Now
AEA and NEA are part of a coalition – Health Care for America Now – working to get Congress to pass national health care reform. We know that national health care reform is necessary if we are going to be able to fix the problem of escalating health insurance costs. As a part of this effort, we are asking members to contact Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor with the following message: "Please support efforts to craft a congressional budget resolution that enables health care reform to happen this year. We need to guarantee quality, affordable health care for all Americans."

To contact Senator Lincoln, go to: www.lincoln.senate.gov/

To contact Senator Pryor, go to: pryor.senate.gov/

The Arkansas Lottery Scholarship Act
The Arkansas Lottery Scholarship Act was signed into law by Governor Beebe this afternoon. The governor signed HB1002 by Speaker Robbie Wills (D-Conway) and SB26 by Senator Terry Smith (D-Hot Springs). These are identical bills that set up the Scholarship Lottery. Lt. Governor Bill Halter, Speaker Wills, Senator Smith, Senate President Pro Tem Bob Johnson, Senator Shane Broadway (D-Bryant), Senator Mary Anne Salmon (D-North Little Rock), Representative Johnnie Roebuck (D-Arkadelphia) and other key legislators who were involved in crafting the lottery legislation joined Governor Beebe for the bill signing.Twenty-three senators and sixty-two representatives were co-sponsors of both bills.

Together we can, and together we will build a great public school for every child.