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E-mails and Phone Calls Needed for Health Insurance and Preparation Time
Communication to the Senate members of the Special Language Subcommittee and the Joint Budget Committee are still needed to support Rep. Bill Abernathy's (D-Mena) amendment to HB 1413, which will provide an additional $25 million for the Public School Employee Health Insurance Program.
Below are the names and e-mail addresses for members of both groups. For those members who have no e-mail addresses, educators must call the Senate message center at 501-682-2902 and leave a message, asking senators to support the amendment in Special Language tomorrow and the amended bill in Joint Budget on Thursday. This phone number is only in operation when the Senate is in session.
Senate members of the Special Language Subcommittee are:
Sen. Paul Bookout (D-Jonesboro), Chair, bookoutp@arkleg.state.ar.us
Sen. Gilbert Baker (R-Conway), bakerg@arkleg.state.ar.us
Sen. John Paul Capps (D-Searcy), cappsj@arkleg.state.ar.us
Sen. Steve Faris (D-Malvern), e-mail not listed
Sen. Kim Hendren (R-Gravette), hendrenk@arkleg.state.ar.us
Sen. Bob Johnson (D-Bigelow), e-mail not listed
Sen. Randy Laverty (D-Jasper), e-mail not listed
Sen. Terry Smith (D-Hot Springs), tsmith@arkleg.state.ar.us
Sen. Ruth Whitaker (R-Cedarville), whitakerr@arkleg.state.ar.us
All of the senators listed above are also Joint Budget Committee members. Other Senate JBC members that must be contacted if the amended bill is adopted are:
Denny Altes (R-Fort Smith), aaltes@aol.com
Shane Broadway (D-Bryant), sbroadway@arkleg.state.ar.us
Steve Bryles (D-Little Rock), bryless@arkleg.state.ar.us
Jack Crumbly (D-Widener), crumblyj@arkleg.state.ar.us
Barbara Horn (D-Foreman), bhorn@arkleg.state.ar.us
Gene Jeffress (D-Louann), gjeffress@arkleg.state.ar.us
Jimmy Jeffress (D-Crossett), jjeffress@arkleg.state.ar.us
Jim Luker (D-Wynne), lukerj@arkleg.state.ar.us
Sue Madison (D-Fayetteville), madisons@arkleg.state.ar.us
Percy Malone (D-Arkadelphia), pmalone@arkleg.state.ar.us
Paul Miller (D-Melbourne), e-mail not listed
Mary Ann Salmon (D-North Little Rock), msalmon@arkleg.state.ar.us
Tracy Steele (D-North Little Rock), tsteele@arkleg.state.ar.us
Robert Thompson (D-Paragould), thompsonr@arkleg.state.ar.us
Sharon Trusty (R-Russellville), trustys@arkleg.state.ar.us
Ed Wilkinson (D-Greenwood), e-mail not listed
HB 2101, sponsored by Rep. Monty Betts, (D-Searcy), has been amended to let teachers schedule 200 minutes of preparation time each week, but the language that gives school districts the option of scheduling all preparation time above 200 minutes per week "for purposes relating to student achievement, assessment, and district-wide instructional planning" remains in the bill.
AEA President Dan Marzoni and Executive Director Rich Nagel offered testimony that 200 minutes of preparation time per week is inadequate, and the loss of the time over 200 minutes per week for a teacher's preparation and planning means that teachers will have to spend more time before and after the workday planning for classes. Not one member of the House Education Committee voted against HB 2101, which turns all preparation time in excess of 200 minutes per week over to school districts.
AEA members and other educators must communicate their opposition to HB 2101 to all members of the House of Representatives immediately. The bill will be on the House Calendar for action tomorrow afternoon.
You may contact your representative online. Go to www.capwiz.com/nea/ar/state/main/?state=AR&view=myofficials
You may also contact them by calling the House message center at 501-682-6211. This phone number is only in operation when the House is in session..
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