One of two bad bills passed out of committee today: HB 376 - charter schools
Still in Committee: HB 423 – pay vouchers for private and religious schools
Calls and emails to all members of the House are in order.
Here is an easy link to contact specific legislators and committees: http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
Now, I must add another bad bill to the list.
Perhaps the bill was well intended, but it is a bad bill anyway. SB 143 amends an already too permissive existing law that permits a retired teacher under loosely regulated circumstances to be re-employed to teach yet continue to draw retirement benefits. Current law permits this event if the teacher has completed at least 30 years and can only continue to be employed as a retired teacher for a maximum of three (3) years. SB 143 amends those two significant numbers to 25 years and four (4) years. We oppose both numerical changes.
We believe SB 143 presents a potential, long-term threat to our ongoing efforts to amortize the Teachers Retirement System, and on a case by case basis, closes the door on teaching opportunities for newer, younger teachers. In effect, recruitment loses out to retention . . . retention of folks who have retired!
We thought we could quietly kill this bill in the Senate, and that smart people would get why it had to die, but we were unable to do so. Consequently, we must work to kill it in the House.
Scroll further down for content.
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BILLS WE SUPPORT
SB 85 (Moe) – fiscal note – Passed Senate - Vote. Passed House – Vote. Decennial bill necessary to place the Montana University System six (6) mill levy on the 2018 general election ballot. SB 85 is now on its way to the governor’s desk for his signature.
Eric Feaver is going to drop this bill from this list. Please click now on any of the two Vote links to see how your legislator voted.
_________________
SB 115 (Moe) – fiscal note - Passed Senate Finance February 20. Provides state funded stipend for National Board Certified Teachers. Contact members of the Senate. Urge them to support and vote YES on SB 115.
_______________
HB 387 (Wagoner) – fiscal note - Passed House 2nd reading February 22. Referred to House Appropriations. This bill, authorizes a 12 bed assessment and stabilization unit (ASU) for seriously impacted patients on into an indefinite future AND gives MDC two more years to close, effective June 30, 2019.
This is likely the best we can do to help repair the damage the last legislature did when it ordered MDC to close effective June 30 of this year. Contact members of House Appropriations. Urge them to vote YES on HB 387!
(H)Appropriations -- Standing Committee
Rep. NANCY BALLANCE (R)--Chair
Rep. MIKE HOPKINS (R)
Rep. DONALD W JONES (R)
Rep. JIM KEANE (D)
Rep. DAN BARTEL (R)
Rep. RANDY BRODEHL (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. TOM BURNETT (R)
Rep. ROB COOK (R)
Rep. MIKE CUFFE (R)
Rep. KIMBERLY DUDIK (D)
Rep. JANET ELLIS (D)
Rep. CARL GLIMM (R)
Rep. BRADLEY MAXON HAMLETT (D)
Rep. KENNETH HOLMLUND (R)
Rep. JON KNOKEY (R)
Rep. RYAN LYNCH (D)
Rep. KELLY MCCARTHY (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. JIMMY PATELIS (R)
Rep. RAE PEPPERS (D)
Rep. MARILYN RYAN (D)
Rep. BRAD TSCHIDA (R)
Rep. TOM WOODS (D)
________________
HB 418 (McCarthy) - Passed House Education, February 22, after the committee amended the $5 million appropriation out of the bill. The legislature is not inclined to fund things that matter like special education, gifted and talented, 19-year-old ANB, mandatory education until age 18. An important note: the Superintendent of Public Instruction is not promoting any of these funding efforts what-so-ever.
Also, see HB 270 tabled in House Appropriations.
______________
SB 307 (L. Jones) – On Senate 2nd reading February 22, it revises school funding laws to address facilities. SB 307 is the best school funding/school facilities bill we are going to see in this legislature. Please see companion bill - SB 260.
BILLS WE OPPOSE
SB 99 (C. Smith) – Passed Senate. Vote. Transmitted to House. Prohibits enforcement of federal firearms laws by Montana public employees. Basically a state’s rights nullification bill. Or maybe a secessionist bill. Ridiculous and embarrassing. Will pass Senate today.
_______________
SB 143 (Lang) - Passed Senate - Vote. Transmitted to House. Amends an already too permissive existing law that permits a retired teacher under certain circumstances to be reemployed and continue to draw retirement benefits. Current law permits this event if the teacher has completed at least 30 years and can only continue to be employed as a retired teacher for a maximum of 3 years. SB 143 amends those two significant numbers to 25 and 4. SB 143 presents a potential, long-term threat to our ongoing efforts to amortize the Teachers Retirement System and on a case by case basis closes the door on teaching opportunities for newer, younger teachers. Passed Senate. We must work to kill this bill in the House.
________________
HB280 (Brodehl) – Passed House. Vote. Referred to Senate Judiciary. Authorizes legislators to carry handguns on state property. If legislators are ready to weaponize our state Capitol, they are definitely ready to weaponize our public schools. Outrageous. See HB 385 below.
________________
HB 326 (Windy Boy) – legal note - Passed House Education February 22. Establishes local district charter schools, chartered through a politicized state charter commission, “not subject to the general supervision of the board of public education or the accreditation standards.” In addition to bad public policy and a frontal assault on the board of public education and school accreditation and teacher licensure standards, HB 376 is unconstitutional. Nothing prevents a local school district from working with the board of public education to establish a charter school pursuant to rule – 10.55.604. In fact, nothing prevents a local school district from establishing innovative educational environments with or without the board of public education. Urge members of the full House to oppose HB 376. - http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
_______________
HB385 (Berglee) – Heard in House Judiciary February 14. Empowers a school district employee with a valid concealed weapons permit to carry a concealed handgun in school.” Ridiculous and dangerous. See HB 280 above. Urge members of House Judiciary to oppose guns in schools. - http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Judiciary -- Standing Committee
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. LAURIE BISHOP (D)
Rep. BOB BROWN (R)
Rep. VIRGINIA COURT (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. ALAN DOANE (R)--Chair
Rep. JENNY ECK (D)
Rep. BILL HARRIS (R)
Rep. ELLIE HILL SMITH (D)
Rep. KATHY KELKER (D)
Rep. CASEY KNUDSEN (R)
Rep. THERESA MANZELLA (R)
Rep. NATE MCCONNELL (D)
Rep. SHANE MORIGEAU (D)
Rep. DALE MORTENSEN (R)
Rep. ZAC PERRY (D)
Rep. MATT REGIER (R)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. BARRY USHER (R)
Rep. KIRK WAGONER (R)
__________________
HB 423 (Berglee) – legal note – Passed House Education February 22. Creates pay vouchers (a mix of state and local public school dollars) for special needs kids, 504 kids, military dependents, and all their siblings to go to any school they want anywhere in the world. right along with Rep. Windy Boy’s charter school bill, HB 376. Like HB 376, atrocious public policy and unconstitutional. Governor Bullock vetoed pretty much this same bill last session.
Urge members of the full House to oppose HB 376. http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
_____________________
HB 436 (Burnett) – Heard February 21 in House State Administration. Proposed constitutional amendment to require voter approval for employer increases in public employee retirement systems, such as TRS, PERS, and GWPORS. If this proposed constitutional amendment were to pass and we subsequently needed another employer increase to amortize and save our retirement systems, the voters would have the last word. We think this proposal is unconstitutional in that it violates our constitution’s mandate that our state’s public employee retirement systems must amortize. Fortunately, HB 436 requires a 2/3rd vote of the entire legislature.
Still in Committee: HB 423 – pay vouchers for private and religious schools
Calls and emails to all members of the House are in order.
Here is an easy link to contact specific legislators and committees: http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
Now, I must add another bad bill to the list.
Perhaps the bill was well intended, but it is a bad bill anyway. SB 143 amends an already too permissive existing law that permits a retired teacher under loosely regulated circumstances to be re-employed to teach yet continue to draw retirement benefits. Current law permits this event if the teacher has completed at least 30 years and can only continue to be employed as a retired teacher for a maximum of three (3) years. SB 143 amends those two significant numbers to 25 years and four (4) years. We oppose both numerical changes.
We believe SB 143 presents a potential, long-term threat to our ongoing efforts to amortize the Teachers Retirement System, and on a case by case basis, closes the door on teaching opportunities for newer, younger teachers. In effect, recruitment loses out to retention . . . retention of folks who have retired!
We thought we could quietly kill this bill in the Senate, and that smart people would get why it had to die, but we were unable to do so. Consequently, we must work to kill it in the House.
Scroll further down for content.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
BILLS WE SUPPORT
SB 85 (Moe) – fiscal note – Passed Senate - Vote. Passed House – Vote. Decennial bill necessary to place the Montana University System six (6) mill levy on the 2018 general election ballot. SB 85 is now on its way to the governor’s desk for his signature.
Eric Feaver is going to drop this bill from this list. Please click now on any of the two Vote links to see how your legislator voted.
_________________
SB 115 (Moe) – fiscal note - Passed Senate Finance February 20. Provides state funded stipend for National Board Certified Teachers. Contact members of the Senate. Urge them to support and vote YES on SB 115.
_______________
HB 387 (Wagoner) – fiscal note - Passed House 2nd reading February 22. Referred to House Appropriations. This bill, authorizes a 12 bed assessment and stabilization unit (ASU) for seriously impacted patients on into an indefinite future AND gives MDC two more years to close, effective June 30, 2019.
This is likely the best we can do to help repair the damage the last legislature did when it ordered MDC to close effective June 30 of this year. Contact members of House Appropriations. Urge them to vote YES on HB 387!
(H)Appropriations -- Standing Committee
Rep. NANCY BALLANCE (R)--Chair
Rep. MIKE HOPKINS (R)
Rep. DONALD W JONES (R)
Rep. JIM KEANE (D)
Rep. DAN BARTEL (R)
Rep. RANDY BRODEHL (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. TOM BURNETT (R)
Rep. ROB COOK (R)
Rep. MIKE CUFFE (R)
Rep. KIMBERLY DUDIK (D)
Rep. JANET ELLIS (D)
Rep. CARL GLIMM (R)
Rep. BRADLEY MAXON HAMLETT (D)
Rep. KENNETH HOLMLUND (R)
Rep. JON KNOKEY (R)
Rep. RYAN LYNCH (D)
Rep. KELLY MCCARTHY (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. JIMMY PATELIS (R)
Rep. RAE PEPPERS (D)
Rep. MARILYN RYAN (D)
Rep. BRAD TSCHIDA (R)
Rep. TOM WOODS (D)
________________
HB 418 (McCarthy) - Passed House Education, February 22, after the committee amended the $5 million appropriation out of the bill. The legislature is not inclined to fund things that matter like special education, gifted and talented, 19-year-old ANB, mandatory education until age 18. An important note: the Superintendent of Public Instruction is not promoting any of these funding efforts what-so-ever.
Also, see HB 270 tabled in House Appropriations.
______________
SB 307 (L. Jones) – On Senate 2nd reading February 22, it revises school funding laws to address facilities. SB 307 is the best school funding/school facilities bill we are going to see in this legislature. Please see companion bill - SB 260.
BILLS WE OPPOSE
SB 99 (C. Smith) – Passed Senate. Vote. Transmitted to House. Prohibits enforcement of federal firearms laws by Montana public employees. Basically a state’s rights nullification bill. Or maybe a secessionist bill. Ridiculous and embarrassing. Will pass Senate today.
_______________
SB 143 (Lang) - Passed Senate - Vote. Transmitted to House. Amends an already too permissive existing law that permits a retired teacher under certain circumstances to be reemployed and continue to draw retirement benefits. Current law permits this event if the teacher has completed at least 30 years and can only continue to be employed as a retired teacher for a maximum of 3 years. SB 143 amends those two significant numbers to 25 and 4. SB 143 presents a potential, long-term threat to our ongoing efforts to amortize the Teachers Retirement System and on a case by case basis closes the door on teaching opportunities for newer, younger teachers. Passed Senate. We must work to kill this bill in the House.
________________
HB280 (Brodehl) – Passed House. Vote. Referred to Senate Judiciary. Authorizes legislators to carry handguns on state property. If legislators are ready to weaponize our state Capitol, they are definitely ready to weaponize our public schools. Outrageous. See HB 385 below.
________________
HB 326 (Windy Boy) – legal note - Passed House Education February 22. Establishes local district charter schools, chartered through a politicized state charter commission, “not subject to the general supervision of the board of public education or the accreditation standards.” In addition to bad public policy and a frontal assault on the board of public education and school accreditation and teacher licensure standards, HB 376 is unconstitutional. Nothing prevents a local school district from working with the board of public education to establish a charter school pursuant to rule – 10.55.604. In fact, nothing prevents a local school district from establishing innovative educational environments with or without the board of public education. Urge members of the full House to oppose HB 376. - http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
_______________
HB385 (Berglee) – Heard in House Judiciary February 14. Empowers a school district employee with a valid concealed weapons permit to carry a concealed handgun in school.” Ridiculous and dangerous. See HB 280 above. Urge members of House Judiciary to oppose guns in schools. - http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
(H)Judiciary -- Standing Committee
Rep. SETH BERGLEE (R)--Vice Chair
Rep. LAURIE BISHOP (D)
Rep. BOB BROWN (R)
Rep. VIRGINIA COURT (D)--Vice Chair
Rep. ALAN DOANE (R)--Chair
Rep. JENNY ECK (D)
Rep. BILL HARRIS (R)
Rep. ELLIE HILL SMITH (D)
Rep. KATHY KELKER (D)
Rep. CASEY KNUDSEN (R)
Rep. THERESA MANZELLA (R)
Rep. NATE MCCONNELL (D)
Rep. SHANE MORIGEAU (D)
Rep. DALE MORTENSEN (R)
Rep. ZAC PERRY (D)
Rep. MATT REGIER (R)
Rep. LOLA SHELDON-GALLOWAY (R)
Rep. BARRY USHER (R)
Rep. KIRK WAGONER (R)
__________________
HB 423 (Berglee) – legal note – Passed House Education February 22. Creates pay vouchers (a mix of state and local public school dollars) for special needs kids, 504 kids, military dependents, and all their siblings to go to any school they want anywhere in the world. right along with Rep. Windy Boy’s charter school bill, HB 376. Like HB 376, atrocious public policy and unconstitutional. Governor Bullock vetoed pretty much this same bill last session.
Urge members of the full House to oppose HB 376. http://www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/65th/legwebmessage.asp
_____________________
HB 436 (Burnett) – Heard February 21 in House State Administration. Proposed constitutional amendment to require voter approval for employer increases in public employee retirement systems, such as TRS, PERS, and GWPORS. If this proposed constitutional amendment were to pass and we subsequently needed another employer increase to amortize and save our retirement systems, the voters would have the last word. We think this proposal is unconstitutional in that it violates our constitution’s mandate that our state’s public employee retirement systems must amortize. Fortunately, HB 436 requires a 2/3rd vote of the entire legislature.
