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| House Budget Cuts Education On Wednesday the House of Representatives passed its version of the 2010-12 budget (HB 290), which now goes to the Senate for action. This budget will hurt students and school employees by reducing the school year by two instructional days. The net effect of the reduction of these days in school employees’ work year will amount to a 1-2% salary reduction. This reduction will mean lower salaries for the remainder of school employees’ career and will also reduce pensions when they retire. The reduction will also mean less instructional time for students, just at the same time Kentucky – along with most other states – will begin holding students accountable for higher learning standards, because of last year’s Senate Bill 1. This is the wrong time to reduce students’ learning time. It is very likely that the Senate will pass an entirely different budget bill. As in most budget sessions, the differences will get ironed out in a conference committee that will take place in the waning days of the legislative session. Contact your state senator, asking them to restore the two instructional days taken out by the House. |
| House Budget Insurance Provisions Trouble KEA The budget also makes significant changes to the Kentucky Employee Health Plan. In a very unusual move, the House budget contains not just funding levels for state employee health care, but also creates a new "Base Employer Provided Plan." Because all the details of the new plan are not yet known, we cannot predict the financial impact of these changes on active and retired school employees. However, these changes to health insurance coverage are alleged to save the state approximately $150 million. KEA is extremely concerned about the magnitude of the proposed savings and the eventual impact on active and retired school employees. We continue to investigate the impact of these changes. Watch future editions of The Advocate for more information. Contact your state senator, asking them to protect active and retired school employee’s health insurance. |
| KTRS Health Care Bills Progressing HB 540 (sponsored by Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway) includes the solution to the problem of funding KTRS retirees’ health insurance in the future. It is in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. KEA hopes that it will be called at the committee’s next meeting on Tuesday, March 16. This “shared responsibility” plan includes increased contributions to KTRS health insurance fund by retired teachers younger than 65, school districts, the state, and active teachers. In 2010-11, the average active teacher would pay about $10 per month in additional KTRS contributions. While no one likes paying more, the steep rise in health care costs and state budget problems has put both the KTRS pension and medical funds in jeopardy. The consequences of no action are much worse than paying a little more now. HB 531 (sponsored by Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville) contains the authorization for the state to buy bonds to pay back what the state has borrowed over the last decade to provide retired teachers’ health care. It passed out of House A&R on Thursday night. This funding would mean a cash infusion to KTRS, funds that can be invested immediately. It would also save the state money on future debt, as the bonds would be financed at a rate lower than the state was paying KTRS. KEA hopes both these bills will be acted on favorably in next Tuesday’s A&R Committee. Contact members of the House A&R Committee, asking them to support HB 540 and all members of the House, asking them to support HB 531. |
| Principal Selection Bill Fails in House Education Committee On Tuesday, House Bill 322 (sponsored by Rep. Kent Stevens, D-Lawrenceburg) failed to garner the 15 votes necessary for it to pass out of the House Education Committee. HB 322 would have changed current law regarding principal selection and give more authority to superintendents in the process. HB 322 had passed House Ed about a month ago and then had been re-committed back to the committee. Over the intervening month, KEA had worked with various House members to see if we could reach a compromise on HB 322. When those efforts failed, KEA opposed HB 322 and all proposed amendments. No bill is ever completely dead while the General Assembly is in session. The language of HB 322 still could turn up in an amendment to another bill anytime before this session ends in mid-April. So it’s important to keep up contacts with all legislators, supporting the authority of school councils to select principals. |
| Public Employee Collective Bargaining Passed in House L&I Committee On Thursday, House Bill 493 passed the House Labor and Industry Committee. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joni Jenkins (D-Shivley), would give all Kentucky public employees collective bargaining rights. KEA believes that collective bargaining would provide school employees with a voice in local decisions about their working conditions. KEA strongly supports HB 493 and thanks the members of the Labor and Industry Committee for approving this important bill. |
| Stay Connected In addition to the weekly publication of the KEA Advocate, KEA also provides legislative updates through our legislative advocacy site www.keepkentuckylearning.org and you can befriend us on Facebook at “Ky Education’s Advocates.” Please keep connected and stay engaged. KEA members and supporters are our best lobbyists. Leave a message for your legislators by calling the toll free legislative message line at 800-372-7181 or send an email by visiting www.keepkentuckylearning.org and click on the “Contact Legislators” link. |
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