2007-02-22                     House Journal                      Page 0302
HB 97                                                                                                                         
The Health, Education & Social Services Committee considered:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
    HOUSE BILL NO. 97                                                                                                           
    "An Act making appropriations for state aid to public schools,                                                              
    centralized correspondence study, and transportation of pupils;                                                             
    and providing for an effective date."                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
and recommends it be replaced with:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
    CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 97(HES)                                                                                               
    (same title)                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

2007-02-22                     House Journal                      Page 0303
The report was signed by Representative Wilson, Chair, with the                                                                 
following individual recommendations:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Do pass (4):  Cissna, Gardner, Seaton, Wilson                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
No recommendation (1):  Neuman                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Amend (1):  Roses                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
A House Health, Education and Social Services Committee letter of                                                               
intent for CSHB 97(HES), signed by Representative Wilson, Chair,                                                                
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
"The House Health Education and Social Services Committee                                                                       
recommends a policy shift to help ensure more of the funding for                                                                
schools reaches the classroom. The increase in appropriations is                                                                
intended to reduce the burden each district pays into the Teaching                                                              
Retirement System (TRS) in the hopes that dollars sent to the                                                                   
classroom will not diminish because of the unfunded liabilities of                                                              
TRS.  The funding for the employer contributions to TRS, for the past                                                           
two years contained in the current Base Student Allocation of $5,380                                                            
should be funded outside the foundation formula.  Any additional                                                                
increases to the employer contributions should continue to be funded                                                            
outside the formula.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Having the TRS Liability outside the BSA provides a variety of                                                                  
funding sources in adding to the general fund.  Since many grants                                                               
restrict the percentage of salary and benefits to a fixed percentage of                                                         
the overall budget, funding the TRS obligation outside the BSA                                                                  
maintains a percentage allowable by most grants.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The committee also urges more funding for school transportation, area                                                           
cost differential, vocational education and the "Intense Needs" areas.                                                          
We also recommend further work for the forward funding of                                                                       
education."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HB 97 was referred to the Finance Committee.