Capitol sorting process is beginning to reveal bills of consequence
A flurry of recent Capitol activity is setting up some important hearings on bills that could have lasting repercussions for school districts.
Cost containment possibilities this week include a Tuesday, March 19, public hearing on House Bill 3075. This bill is intended to allow school districts and community colleges to continue to offer health insurance as they do currently. Of specific concern to school districts, the issue of opting out of insurance for a negotiated stipend would remain and be done through the collective bargaining process. A bill passed in 2017, SB 1067, would prohibit districts from negotiating an opt out and disallowing employees to be double covered, but it hasn't gone into effect and HB 3075 would undo it.
Senate Bill 768 was heard March 5. It would allow school district and education service district retired workers to return to work without the hour limitations currently in place. The committee convened an informal work group to talk about how to modify this bill to allow all employers to have the same options.
This bill does offer some cost containment. As retired workers are hired, the district saves in associated payroll costs. The bill may be amended so that rehiring would trigger the employer to begin paying a portion of the Public Employees Retirement System costs to PERS, which would be put toward the unfunded actuarial liability.
More concerning, last week the Legislature heard HB 2016 would upset the balance of collective bargaining in school districts and community colleges with public sector unions. OSBA testified March 11 in opposition to the bill, which would move some bargaining issues into state law. We continue to work on amending the bill.
I have to admit it was frustrating to testify on this type of bill. We have collective bargaining in place and have used that process for many years to allow districts to effectively manage the operations of their schools, balancing the needs of our quality teachers with the needs of our students.
I want to take a moment, again, to thank all who have come to Salem, because the effort has been paying off. Our last lobby day is Tuesday, March 19, and the lobby days and town halls have shown legislators education advocates’ local-level accounts of schools’ issues. We have even had board members and superintendents who couldn’t make it on a scheduled lobby day choose their own day. Armed with a packet of materials and personal district stories, they have walked the Capitol building, meeting with their legislators and others to talk about the school funding challenges their districts face. A big thank you.
Remember the Ways and Means roadshow will wind down Thursday, March 21, with a public hearing at Portland Community College – Cascade Campus. I hope you take an evening to attend, sign up and speak to the committee about the need for additional school funding.
- Lori Sattenspiel
Legislative Services director