Bill Briefs
Virtual charter schools
What it does: The bill would create a study on Oregon’s virtual online public charter schools, including the state and federal resources available to virtual public charter schools and the financial and working relationships between each virtual public charter school and the sponsor of the school.
What’s new: The House Education Committee heard the bill March 6.
What’s next: OSBA testified in support of the bill and will monitor the bill’s progress.
High school graduate reporting
What it does: The bill would require each post-secondary institution in Oregon to provide the Department of Education and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission with the number of Oregon high school graduates from each school district enrolled at each institution and their graduation rate at the institution by school district.
What’s new: The House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee heard the bill March 9.
What’s next: OSBA testified in support of the bill and will monitor the bill’s progress.
Oregon Educators Benefit Board opt-out
What it does: The bill would allow school districts with independent health insurance trusts to opt out of the Oregon Educators Benefit Board. Several districts have a bargaining unit in OEBB and a unit outside OEBB that are insured by the district’s independent insurance trust. This bill would allow those bargaining units currently in OEBB to come out and obtain insurance from the district’s independent health insurance trust.
What’s new: The Senate Education Committee heard the bill March 9.
What’s next: OSBA supports the bill and will monitor the bill’s progress.
PERS agency budget
Senate Bill 5534
Agency overview
What it does: This bill would fund the Public Employees Retirement System agency. PERS administers the retirement system covering judges and employees of state agencies; public universities and school districts; and participating cities, counties and special districts in Oregon. The agency also administers a retiree health insurance program and a voluntary employee deferred compensation program for state agencies and some local governmental units. The five-member Public Employees Retirement Board has broad authority for operation of the system. Day-to-day operations are carried out by the board-appointed executive director and agency staff.
What’s new: The agency budget has been discussed all week in the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on General Government.
What’s next: The bill is expected to be approved and will move to the Full Ways and Means Committee next week.