The 2005 General Assembly is now in session

Week 6 Update—February 18, 2005

The last day for committee action on bills is Monday, February 21. House and Senate budget negotiators have until midnight on Tuesday, February 22, to reach a compromise spending plan for the remainder of the 2004-2006 budget. Adjournment is scheduled for Saturday, February 26.

The House Education Committee meets on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. in House Room C and Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. in the Appropriations Room.  The Senate Education and Health Committee meets on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. in Senate Room B.  Sub-committees will meet periodically throughout the session. Click here for a schedule of weekly meetings (Meetings)

BUDGET

The House and Senate have formally rejected the budgets proposed by the opposite chamber and a conference committee of senior legislators will meet over the next several days to reach a compromise spending plan for the remainder of the current biennium. Members of the budget conference committee, as appointed this past Wednesday, are Senators Chichester (Stafford), Wampler (Bristol), Stosch (Henrico), Colgan (Prince William) and Houck (Spotsylvania), and Delegates Callahan (Fairfax), Putney (Bedford), Hamilton (Newport News), Cox (Chesterfield), Wardrup (Virginia Beach) and Joannou (Portsmouth).

State budget coffers continue to receive dollars above the revenue forecast and budget conferees first may have to grapple with setting a new estimated revenue number. Revenue figures for January show collections up nearly 21%. Secretary of Finance John Bennett, however, has cautioned legislators that the most volatile revenue sources (corporate income tax, recordation taxes and individual nonwitholding) are driving the collections. For the fiscal year, revenues have grown 14.3% above the same period a year ago, well ahead of the 8.2% growth on which the introduced budget was built.

The budget conferees will have to resolve differences over teacher pay hikes. The House proposal provides the state share of a 2.5% salary increase for teachers, effective December 1, 2005, while the Senate changes the effective date of the 3% salary increase (as contained in the introduced budget) from December 1 to January 1.

The House budget provides $8.3 million in FY06 to increase the teacher retiree health care credit from $2.50 per month to $4.00 per month for each year of service. However, the accompanying legislation (HB 1523) was left in the Senate Finance Committee.

Other differences involve the Literary Fund, to which the Senate adds $15 million. The Senate also proposes $4.6 million to restore the 8% reduction taken in 2002 to the at-risk add-on funding. Neither of these items is contained in the House plan.

Click here for access to specific information about the proposed House and Senate budget amendments (Budget proposals)

Legislation:

Here’s another update on education-related bills making their way through the opposite chamber:

HB 1589, which permitted local school boards to provide pupil transportation for nonpublic school students, was defeated by the Senate Education and Health Committee on a 9-6 vote.

HB 1762 and SB 779 make various amendments to the Standards of Quality, emphasizing data collection and analysis, and use of such results in instructional program evaluation. Both have passed the opposite chamber.

HB 1912, which required the BOE to include provisions in guidelines for reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to address parental notification for minor students who decline to stand for or recite the Pledge, was defeated by the Senate Education and Health Committee on a tie vote. 7-7.

HB 1942, which created a tax credit to promote educational opportunities for children at risk of educational failure, was left in the Senate Finance Committee.

HB 2267, which establishes immunity from civil damages for any school employee or volunteer who reports incidents of bullying, intimidation and harassment, has been approved by the Senate.

HB 2602 and SB 1136 direct the Board of Education to seek certain waivers from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and to examine the fiscal and other implications for the state and local governments in the event that Virginia continues or declines to participate in the Act. They are on the floor in the opposite chamber.

HB 2613, which prohibited school boards from administering questionnaires or surveys to students that seek specific familial information, was left in the Senate Education and Health Committee.

HJR 537 is a proposed Constitutional amendment that would state a person’s right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage and traditions on public property, including public schools. It was sent to the Senate Courts of Justice Committee.

SB 717, which provided that character education programs in schools were allowed to include opportunities for voluntary participation in community service activities, was defeated on the House floor.

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