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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to bonuses and salaries for public school classroom |
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teachers and state assistance for the Texas Public School Employees |
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Group Insurance Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 21.417 and 21.418 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.417. CLASSROOM TEACHER STATE CAREER BONUS. |
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(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for |
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purposes of this section, the agency shall provide an annual bonus |
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to each classroom teacher with at least six years of teaching |
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experience at the beginning of the school year during which the |
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bonus is provided. |
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(b) The amount of the bonus provided to each classroom |
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teacher during any school year shall be established by |
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appropriation, and the appropriation may provide for different |
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bonus amounts during a school year based on the number of years of |
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teaching experience. |
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(c) A bonus provided to a classroom teacher under this |
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section is not considered in determining whether a school district |
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is paying the teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section |
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21.402. |
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(d) The agency shall provide a bonus under this section only |
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to a person employed as a classroom teacher at the time the bonus is |
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paid. |
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Sec. 21.418. CLASSROOM TEACHER SALARY INCREASES. (a) From |
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state funding designated specifically for purposes of this section, |
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including a separate appropriation in the General Appropriations |
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Act or a designation of revenue provided by the Texas Constitution, |
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a school district shall spend an amount equal to the product of |
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$1,000 multiplied by the number of classroom teachers employed by |
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the district to increase salaries for classroom teachers in a |
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manner determined by the board of trustees to be beneficial to the |
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district. |
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(b) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement |
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this section, provided that the rules do not restrict the manner in |
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which the amount described by Subsection (a) is used by a school |
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district to increase salaries for classroom teachers. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The amount of $193,000,000 of the |
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unencumbered appropriations from the general revenue fund for the |
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state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2019, made by S.B. 1, Acts |
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of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017 (the General |
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Appropriations Act), to the Health and Human Services Commission is |
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transferred to the Texas Education Agency to be used by the agency |
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to provide the following bonuses to public school classroom |
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teachers under Section 21.417, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act: |
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(1) a bonus of $600 to be paid in September 2018 for |
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each classroom teacher with at least 6 but less than 11 years of |
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teaching experience at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year; |
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and |
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(2) a bonus of $1,000 to be paid in September 2018 for |
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each classroom teacher with at least 11 years of teaching |
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experience at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year. |
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(b) The Health and Human Services Commission shall identify |
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the strategies and objectives out of which the transfer under |
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Subsection (a) of this section is to be made. |
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SECTION 3. (a) The amount of $212,000,000 of the |
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unencumbered appropriations from the general revenue fund for the |
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state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2019, made by S.B. 1, Acts |
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of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017 (the General |
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Appropriations Act), to the Health and Human Services Commission is |
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transferred to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and may be |
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used by the retirement system during that state fiscal biennium to |
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provide support to participants in the Texas Public School |
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Employees Group Insurance Program authorized by Chapter 1575, |
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Insurance Code. The Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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identify the strategies and objectives out of which the transfer is |
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to be made. |
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(b) The Teacher Retirement System of Texas may use the money |
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transferred under Subsection (a) of this section to: |
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(1) reduce costs for participants, including |
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premiums, deductibles, and prescription drugs, during the 2018 and |
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2019 plan years; and |
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(2) reduce the premium and maximum out-of-pocket cost |
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for an enrolled adult child with a mental disability or a physical |
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incapacity during the 2018 and 2019 plan years. |
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(c) The Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall determine |
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the most efficient allocation of the money transferred under |
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Subsection (a) of this section to achieve the maximum benefit for |
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participants in the program. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Section 21.417, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2018-2019 school year. |
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(b) Section 21.418, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
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applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |
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* * * * * |