Bill Text: TX SB3 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Engrossed


Bill Title: Relating to additional funding to school districts for classroom teacher and librarian salaries.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 19-12)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-03-28 - Referred to Public Education [SB3 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB3-Engrossed.html
 
 
  By: Nelson, et al. S.B. No. 3
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to additional funding to school districts for classroom
  teacher salaries.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.4023 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.4023.  CLASSROOM TEACHER AND LIBRARIAN SALARY
  ALLOTMENT. (a)  Every full-time classroom teacher and full-time
  librarian is entitled to an annual salary allotment in the amount of
  $5,000.
         (b)  A salary allotment a teacher or librarian receives under
  this section:
               (1)  is not considered in determining whether the
  district is paying the teacher or librarian the minimum monthly
  salary under Section 21.402; and
               (2)  is in addition to the regular salary to which a
  teacher or librarian is otherwise entitled under the district's
  salary schedule.
         (b-1)  Notwithstanding Section 21.402, for the 2019-2020
  school year, every full-time classroom teacher and full-time
  librarian is entitled to a monthly salary that is at least equal to
  the sum of:
               (1)  the monthly salary the teacher or librarian would
  have received for the 2019-2020 school year under the district's
  salary schedule for the 2018-2019 school year, if that schedule had
  been in effect for the 2019-2020 school year, including any local
  supplement and any money representing any other supplement the
  teacher or librarian would have received in the 2019-2020 school
  year; and
               (2)  $500.
         (b-2)  Subsection (b-1) and this subsection expire September
  1, 2020.
         (b-3)  A full-time classroom teacher or full-time librarian
  employed by a school district in the 2019-2020 school year is, as
  long as the teacher or librarian is employed by the same district,
  entitled to a salary that is at least equal to the salary the
  teacher or librarian received for the 2019-2020 school year.
         (c)  A school district may provide a merit salary increase to
  a full-time classroom teacher or full-time librarian in addition to
  the salary allotment to which the teacher or librarian is entitled
  under this section.
         (d)  A school district shall provide written notice to each
  full-time classroom teacher and full-time librarian that the salary
  allotment to which the teacher or librarian is entitled under this
  section is provided by the state.
         (e)  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         (f)  This section applies to a person employed as a classroom
  teacher or librarian of an open enrollment charter school.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 42.25131 to read as follows:
         Sec. 42.25131.  ADDITIONAL STATE AID OR CREDIT AGAINST COST
  OF ATTENDANCE CREDITS FOR CLASSROOM TEACHER AND LIBRARIAN SALARY
  ALLOTMENT. (a)  For each school year, a school district, including
  a school district that is otherwise ineligible for state aid under
  this chapter, is entitled to state aid in an amount equal to the
  product of $5,000 multiplied by the number of full-time classroom
  teachers and full-time librarians employed by the district.
         (b)  A school district shall use the amount received under
  this section to provide the salary allotments for full-time
  classroom teachers and full-time librarians required under Section
  21.4023.
         (c)  A school district that is required to take action under
  Chapter 41 to reduce its wealth per student to the equalized wealth
  level is entitled to a credit, in the amount of state aid to which
  the district is entitled under this section, against the total
  amount required under Section 41.093 for the district to purchase
  attendance credits.
         (d)  The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this
  section.
         SECTION 3.  Section 822.201(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  "Salary and wages" as used in Subsection (a) means:
               (1)  normal periodic payments of money for service the
  right to which accrues on a regular basis in proportion to the
  service performed;
               (2)  amounts by which the member's salary is reduced
  under a salary reduction agreement authorized by Chapter 610;
               (3)  amounts that would otherwise qualify as salary and
  wages under Subdivision (1) but are not received directly by the
  member pursuant to a good faith, voluntary written salary reduction
  agreement in order to finance payments to a deferred compensation
  or tax sheltered annuity program specifically authorized by state
  law or to finance benefit options under a cafeteria plan qualifying
  under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if:
                     (A)  the program or benefit options are made
  available to all employees of the employer; and
                     (B)  the benefit options in the cafeteria plan are
  limited to one or more options that provide deferred compensation,
  group health and disability insurance, group term life insurance,
  dependent care assistance programs, or group legal services plans;
               (4)  performance pay awarded to an employee by a school
  district as part of a total compensation plan approved by the board
  of trustees of the district and meeting the requirements of
  Subsection (e);
               (5)  the benefit replacement pay a person earns under
  Subchapter H, Chapter 659, except as provided by Subsection (c);
               (6)  stipends paid to teachers in accordance with
  Section 21.410, 21.411, 21.412, or 21.413, Education Code;
               (7)  amounts by which the member's salary is reduced or
  that are deducted from the member's salary as authorized by
  Subchapter J, Chapter 659;
               (8)  a merit salary increase made under Section 51.962,
  Education Code;
               (9)  amounts received under the relevant parts of the
  educator excellence awards program under Subchapter O, Chapter 21,
  Education Code, or a mentoring program under Section 21.458,
  Education Code, that authorize compensation for service;
               (10)  salary amounts designated as health care
  supplementation by an employee under Subchapter D, Chapter 22,
  Education Code; [and]
               (11)  to the extent required by Sections 3401(h) and
  414(u)(12), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, differential wage
  payments received by an individual from an employer on or after
  January 1, 2009, while the individual is performing qualified
  military service as defined by Section 414(u), Internal Revenue
  Code of 1986; and
               (12)  a salary allotment paid to teachers and
  librarians under Section 21.4023, Education Code.
         SECTION 4.  Section 825.405(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  For purposes of this section,[:
               [(1)]  the statutory minimum salary:
               (1)  for certain school personnel under Section 21.402,
  Education Code, is the salary provided by that section multiplied
  by the cost of education adjustment applicable under Section
  42.102, Education Code, to the district in which the member is
  employed; [and]
               (2)  [the statutory minimum salary] for members who
  would have been entitled to the minimum salary for certain school
  personnel under former Section 16.056, Education Code, as that
  section existed on January 1, 1995, is a minimum salary computed in
  the same manner as the minimum salary for certain school personnel
  under Section 21.402, Education Code, multiplied by the cost of
  education adjustment applicable under Section 42.102, Education
  Code, to the district in which the member is employed; and
               (3)  includes any classroom teacher or librarian salary
  allotment provided under Section 21.4023, Education Code.
         SECTION 5.  This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
  school year.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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