Legislature(2001 - 2002)
02/27/2002 08:08 AM House EDU
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 416-REEMPLOYMENT OF RETIRED TEACHERS Number 0107 CHAIR BUNDE announced the first order of business, HOUSE BILL NO. 416, "An Act relating to reemployment of and benefits for retired teachers and principals who participated in retirement incentive programs; and providing for an effective date." Chair Bunde further announced that there would be no testimony that day, although Kodiak was online as a listen-only site. [HB 416, sponsored by the House Special Committee on Education, had been heard on February 20, at which time Amendment 1 was adopted; however, there was considerable related committee discussion on January 30 and February 6 prior to the bill's introduction.] CHAIR BUNDE requested a motion to adopt Amendment 2, 22- LS1472\C.1, Craver, 2/22/02, which read: Page 2, following line 5: Insert a new bill section to read: "*Sec. 2. AS 14.25.043 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (d) A retired teacher who participated in a retirement incentive program under ch. 26, SLA 1986; ch. 89, SLA 1989; ch. 65, SLA 1996; ch. 4, FSSLA 1996; or ch. 92, SLA 1997, and who is subsequently reemployed under this section shall be paid at the rate new teachers are paid according to the negotiated salary schedule of the school district or regional education attendance area that hires the teacher." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 2, line 8, following "Act": Insert "; AS 14.25.043(d)" Number 0216 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN moved to adopt the foregoing as Amendment 2. CHAIR BUNDE explained that the intent, which he believed to reflect the committee's intent, is that teachers who have retired under the RIP [retirement incentive program] option can be reemployed by a school district at whatever salary level that district has negotiated for teachers new to the district. He asked whether any committee member had a different view of it. Number 0249 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER pointed out that if a school district has the ability to negotiate a higher level for a specific need, this wouldn't preclude that from happening. He said the intent of "the whole operation" is to save the district some money. CHAIR BUNDE concurred regarding whatever negotiated agreement exists for that particular district. He then stated, "What we're leaving unsaid is, we want to prevent the very unlikely possibility that someone would use this as some 'good old boy' network to perhaps unfairly reward someone by letting them retire and then go back to work the next day at their higher salary." Number 0351 REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS remarked that this might not lead to a lot of new hires, but he knows several teachers who have taken the RIP option and are now teaching Outside; this would allow them the opportunity to return to Alaska [to teach], which they hadn't had before. He added that there will always be a substantial savings just because districts won't have to pay retirement or insurance benefits. CHAIR BUNDE emphasized that it doesn't solve all the teacher recruitment problems but is another tool that districts may choose to use. Number 0428 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN pointed out that although members have been hearing about the importance of mentoring, that won't be needed for these experienced teachers. In fact, they would add to the mentoring pool. CHAIR BUNDE agreed they might, indeed, be hired as mentors. Number 0451 CHAIR BUNDE asked whether there was any objection to Amendment 2. There being no objection, Amendment 2 was adopted. Number 0500 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER moved to report HB 416, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 416(EDU) was moved out of the House Special Committee on Education.
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