senate

Legislation barring drivers from sending or reading a text message while operating their vehicle moved forward in both chambers this week. In the House, members of the Lower Chamber gave their support to House Bills 4370 and 4394 which together prohibits the activity but makes a violation a secondary offense, meaning law enforcement cannot stop a vehicle for texting alone and dictating that a violation carries no points against the offending driver’s license.

Last spring MASSP members were asked, "If you were King/Queen for a day, what would you do with the MME and MEAP?" This information was shared with Senators Swialski and Jelinek. They must have been impressed by what they learned. There is a significant section in the Senate version of the School Aid Act dealing with assessment.

MASSP members took action last week explaining to legislators why EXPLORE is important for all students entering high school. Their work was successful!

The Senate embraced member support with the following in the Senate version of HB 4447:

"MEAP and Merit Exam Changes. The Senate added language prohibiting exam funding to be spent on an expanded social studies exam, pattern scoring, or any assessments developed by the Department for the purposes of Sections 1278a and 1278b of the Revised School Code. Intent language also was added that the Department replace its current MEAP for grades 3-8 with the Iowa Test or a similar exam, and the allocation was included for the "Explore" exam in grades 8 or 9. (Sec. 104 and 104b))"

If this Bill passes the fifth bullet may impact you!  You may want your district spokesperson to contact your Senator!

CONTENT

Senate Bill 365 would amend the Revised School Code to do the following: 

The House labor committee today began taking testimony on legislation that would allow school employee unions to negotiate over any outsourcing a district may or may not undertake in the realm of non-instructional employees.

HB 4219, sponsored by Rep. Fred MILLER (D-Mt. Clemens) is identical to legislation adopted by the House last year which died in the Senate. The legislation amends Public Act 112 of 1994 that removed the outsourcing of services from the subjects which can be collectively bargained.

Specifically, the existing act includes the following prohibited subject:

COMMITTEE APPROVES MORE GYM CLASSES

Michigan students would have to take more physical and health education throughout their school career under legislation reported by the Senate Health Policy Committee. But the bills now move to the Senate Appropriations Committee because of the School Aid Act implications.

There was no testimony Wednesday opposing the bills (SB 365, SB 366) that would set minimum times for physical and health education for elementary and middle school (high school requirements are already set in the state graduation requirements). Schools not providing the required time would risk losing state aid.

But as reported the bills would allow parents to exempt their children from the classes without explanation.

Contending he has had no voiced objections from either House leaders or officials within the Granholm Administration, House Education Committee Chair Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills) said this week he would schedule hearings on his proposals that would allow the state to take control of failing schools. Under the provisions of House Bills 4787, 4788, and 4789, if a school fails to meet adequate yearly progress for four years and students are, based on test results, ranked at or below 35 percent proficiency in math and English, steps would have to be taken to improve the school’s performance. If the involved district cannot achieve the needed changes internally, then the state or an outside organization authorized by the state could assume the school’s operations.

Senate Appropriations School Aid Subcommittee members reviewed the status of the proposed 2009-10 budget Tuesday, but in the process heard some hard reminders of the condition of the state's schools.

The majority of school districts are seeing declining enrollments, the subcommittee heard.

And the number of school districts that are technically bankrupt is growing, with dozens with extremely thin financial reserves, they were also told.

The news was grim, committee members were told, and subcommittee chair, Sen. Ron Jelinek (R-Three Oaks), agreed.

The subcommittee also indicated some concerns that the House-passed version of HB 4447* and HB 4438* were larger than the 2009-10 budget proposals made by Governor Jennifer Granholm.

SENATE APPROVES PROPERTY TAX PROPOSAL

The second time was the charm as the Senate this week adopted a proposed constitutional amendment that would help homeowners facing rising property taxes as the assessed value of their home declines. Senate Joint Resolution H, which required a two-thirds vote for passage, was initially rejected by the Upper Chamber on a vote of 23-11 as most Democrats opposed the measure on the grounds it represented a major revenue reduction—estimated to be as much as $253 million annually by the Senate Fiscal Agency—for local units of government. Conversely, supporters argued the proposed change would give the Property Tax program a degree of certainty and rationality by ensuring taxes would not increase when actual values are falling.

Senate Leadership Stalls Teacher Retirement Bill

Time's running out on a teacher retirement plan as Senate Education Committee Chair Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) delayed another vote today while Senate GOP leadership looks into more detail about how the numbers add up.

Kuipers canceled this afternoon/s Senate Education Committee meeting, saying a decision on the bill was still up in the air. He promised last week that SB 0255 would be dead if it didn't come out of committee today, because districts need enough time to implement the plan this school year (See "Kuipers Tries Updated Teacher Retirement Bill," 3/12/09).

But Kuipers said there would still be time to pass the bill before April 1 if the committee moved it out next week.