House Takes Action on Four Bills
The House of Representatives passed four AEA-supported bills today. These bills will now go to Gov. Mike Beebe to be signed into law.  These bills are the final four that remain on AEA's legislative agenda.

SB 998 and SB 999, sponsored by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress (D-Crossett), are bills that clarify the roles and responsibilities of the personnel policy committees, school boards and superintendents.

HB 1372, sponsored by Rep. Johnnie Roebuck (D-Arkadelphia), passed with a vote of 94 to 0, with 6 members not voting. This bill grants subpoena power to  the Professional Licensure Standards Board and the State Board of Education.

HB 1999, sponsored by Rep. Andrea Lea (R-Russellville), passed with a vote of 93 to 0, with 7 not voting. This bill will allow teachers to choose an option of earning 12 hours of the required 60 professional development hours (equivalent to 2 of the required 10 days) using the online professional development approved by ADE and related either to the school’s ACSIP plan and/or the teacher’s professional growth plan. The 12 online hours must be taken from the 12 hours reserved for preparation work done before class. Additionally, a teacher who is unable to obtain the required professional development hours due to illness may use online course work to complete the requirements.

House Education Committee to Consider SB910
The House Education Committee was called into special session today by Chairman Bill Abernathy (D-Mena) to consider SB 910.

SB910, the professional development bill, is sponsored Sen. Mary Ann Salmon (D-North Little Rock). The bill requires school districts to provide teachers with the next year’s professional development calendar by May 1. 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.  The bill failed to get the 11 votes necessary for passage.  We will report on the votes for and against in the Alert tomorrow.

House Passes SB 291
The House passed SB 291 today. This public school fund appropriation bill was amended in the Joint Budget Committee Monday to add language providing for the $15M in additional funding for public school employee health insurance.

Teachers' Prep Time to Remain
HB 2101, sponsored by Rep. Monty Betts (D-Searcy), "died" in the House today. This bill would have removed the teacher authority to schedule their 200 minutes of preparation time as they saw fit.

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