Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 203 Second Substitute (2015GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Last, B.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/24/2015

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• amends the definition of an eligible teacher;
• changes the amount of the salary supplement for eligible teachers;
• changes the entity that distributes money for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program; and
• makes technical and conforming and changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

TEACHER SALARY SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Bradley G. Last
Senate Sponsor: 
____________
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to the Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ amends the definition of an eligible teacher;
▸ changes the amount of the salary supplement for eligible teachers;
▸ changes the entity that distributes money for the Teacher Salary Supplement
Program; and
▸ makes technical and conforming and changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53A-17a-156
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 351
53A-17a-157
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 397
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53A-17a-156
 is amended to read:
53A-17a-156.
Teacher Salary Supplement Program -- Appeal process.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
(b) "Eligible teacher" means a teacher who:
(i) has an assignment to teach:
(A) a secondary school level mathematics course;
(B) integrated science in grade seven or eight;
(C) chemistry; [
or
]
(D) physics;
 (E) computer science; or
 (F) special education.
(ii) holds the appropriate endorsement for the assigned course;
(iii) has qualifying educational background; and
(iv) (A) is a new employee; or
(B) received a satisfactory rating or above on the teacher's most recent evaluation.
(c) "Qualifying educational background" means:
(i) for a teacher who is assigned a secondary school level mathematics course:
(A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics; or
(B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a bachelor's degree
major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics; and
(ii) for a teacher who is assigned a grade seven or eight integrated science course,
chemistry course, [
or
] physics course, 
computer science course, or special education course,
 a
bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in:
(A) integrated science;
(B) chemistry;
(C) physics;
(D) physical science;
 (E) computer science;
 (F) special education;
[
(E)
] 
(G)
 general science; or
[
(F)
] 
(H)
 a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
degree listed in Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through [
(E)
] 
(G)
.
(2) (a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall annually appropriate
money to the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account established in Section
53A-17a-157
 to fund the Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
(b) Money appropriated for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall include
money for the following employer-paid benefits:
(i) retirement;
(ii) workers' compensation;
(iii) Social Security; and
(iv) Medicare.
[
(3) (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2008-09, the annual salary supplement is $4,100 for an
eligible teacher who:
]
[
(i) is assigned full time to teach one or more courses listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A)
through (D); and
]
[
(ii) meets the requirements of Subsections (1)(b)(ii) and (iii) for each course
assignment.
]
 (3) (a) The annual salary supplement for an eligible teacher who is assigned full time to
teach one or more courses listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through (F) is:
 (i) $5,100 for fiscal year 2016;
 (ii) $6,100 for fiscal year 2017;
 (iii) $7,100 for fiscal year 2018;
 (iv) $8,100 for fiscal year 2019;
 (v) $9,100 for fiscal year 2020; and
 (vi) $10,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter.
(b) An eligible teacher who has a part-time assignment to teach one or more courses
listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through [
(D)
] 
(F)
 shall receive a partial salary supplement
based on the number of hours worked in a course assignment that meets the requirements of
Subsections (1)(b)(ii) and (iii).
(4) The board shall:
(a) create an online application system for a teacher to apply to receive a salary
supplement through the Teacher Salary Supplement Program;
(b) determine if a teacher:
(i) is an eligible teacher; and
(ii) has a course assignment as listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through [
(D)
] 
(F)
; 
and
(c) verify, as needed, the determinations made under Subsection (4)(b) with school
district and school administrators[
; and
]
.
[
(d) certify a list of eligible teachers and the amount of their salary supplement, sorted
by school district and charter school, to the Division of Finance.
]
(5) (a) An eligible teacher shall apply with the board before the conclusion of a school
year to receive the salary supplement authorized in this section.
(b) An eligible teacher may apply with the board, after verification that the
requirements under this section have been satisfied, to receive a salary supplement after the
completion of:
(i) the school year as an annual award; or
(ii) a semester or trimester as a partial award based on the portion of the school year
that has been completed.
(6) (a) The board shall establish and administer an appeal process for a teacher to
follow if the teacher applies for the salary supplement and is not certified under Subsection
(4)(d).
(b) (i) The appeal process established in Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
appeal on the basis that the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements that
are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a degree listed in Subsection
(1)(c)(i)(A) or Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through [
(E)
] 
(G)
.
(ii) A teacher shall provide transcripts and other documentation to the board in order
for the board to determine if the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements
that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a degree listed in Subsection
(1)(c)(i)(A) or Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through [
(E)
] 
(G)
.
(7) (a) The [
Division of Finance
] 
board
 shall distribute money from the Teacher Salary
Supplement Restricted Account to school districts and charter schools for the Teacher Salary
Supplement Program in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b) The board shall include the employer-paid benefits described under Subsection
(2)(b) in the amount of each salary supplement [
certified to the Division of Finance
].
(c) The employer-paid benefits described under Subsection (2)(b) are an addition to the
salary supplement limits described under Subsection (3).
(8) (a) Money received from the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account shall
be used by a school district or charter school to provide a salary supplement equal to the
amount specified 
in Subsection (3)
 for each eligible teacher.
(b) The salary supplement is part of the teacher's base pay, subject to the teacher's
qualification as an eligible teacher every year, semester, or trimester.
(9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation for the program
is insufficient to cover the costs associated with salary supplements, the board may limit or
reduce the salary supplements.
Section 2. Section 
53A-17a-157
 is amended to read:
53A-17a-157.
Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account.
(1) There is created within the Uniform School Fund a restricted account known as the
"Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account."
(2) The account shall be funded from appropriations made to the account by the
Legislature.
(3) The account shall be used to fund teacher salary supplements for school districts
and charter schools as provided in Section 
53A-17a-156
.
(4) The [
Division of Finance
] 
State Board of Education
 shall distribute account money
to school districts and charter schools for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program as provided
in Section 
53A-17a-156
.
Section 3. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on July 1, 2015.
Legislative Review Note
 as of 1-13-15 10:55 AM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel