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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Maes DATE TYPED: 3-3-01 HB
SHORT TITLE: Teacher Salary Increase SB 549
ANALYST: Segura


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
NFI



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



State Department of Education (SDE)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



Senate Bill 549 creates a new section of the Public School Code, Section 22-5-13, Legislative Appropriation Percentage Salary Increase. This new section would require local school boards to approve and provide salary increases to teachers at the same percentage increase as specified in any legislative appropriation.



Significant Issues



Section 22-5-4 of the Public School Code currently allows local school boards to fix the salaries of all employees and certified personnel of the school district. Senate Bill 549 would amend this section of the Public School Code to add the exception provided in the proposed Section 22-5-13.



According to SDE, a review of a six-year trend in teacher salary increases shows that the majority of the school districts provided salary increases to teachers that either met or exceeded the intended salary percentage increases stated in legislative appropriations.





FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



Senate Bill 549 does not contain an appropriation. The SDE states that if SB549 is enacted, some school districts may find it difficult to provide the salary percentage increase set forth in legislative appropriations without compromising other areas of their operational budgets.



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