SB 910 Gets "Do Pass"

Legislative Alert Update

SB 910 Gets "Do Pass"

SB910, sponsored by Sen. Mary Ann Salmon, D-North Little Rock, was amended and received a "Do Pass" from the Senate Education Committee today.

The amended version of the bill requires school districts to provide teachers by May 1st the next year’s professional development calendar. A teacher will not be required to attend a training or professional development event if the scheduled date for the event is changed during the period beginning with the day after the last day a teacher is required to work and ending on the day before the first day a teacher is required to work for the next school year.
This amendment does not exempt teachers from attending any training or professional development that is required as part of a remediation plan.

SB 291 Gets "Do Pass"
SB 291, the public school fund appropriation bill, was amended in the Joint Budget Committee today to add language providing for the $15M in additional funding for public school employee health insurance that we reported on in Friday’s Alert. Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena presented the amendment to the committee.

Six Retirement Bills Pass the Senate
The following six AEA-supported retirement bills passed the Senate Friday and should come up for a vote in the House this week:

SB 240, sponsored by Sen. Gene Jeffress, D-Louanne, would include the National Board certification bonuses as salary for the purposes of retirement benefits under the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System (ATRS).
SB 228, sponsored by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett, would clarify and make consistent the survivor benefits under the ATRS.
SB 129, sponsored by Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern, would authorize the ATRS Board to give a one-time ad hoc benefit increase for retirees, survivors and beneficiaries of retirees in the ATRS when feasible.
SB 210, sponsored by Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern, would clarify the recession of termination provisions in the ATRS to benefit members who choose to return to work.
SB 224, sponsored by Sen. Gene Jeffress, D-Louanne, would amend the lump-sum death benefit under the ATRS
SB 231, sponsored by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett, would change the rule for non-recurring payments in the calculation of final average salary in the ATRS.

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