SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   EHB 2559

           AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 25, 1992

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to the permissibility of contracts between municipal officers and their spouses in cases where the spouse is a certificated or classified school district employee or a substitute teacher.

SPONSORS: Representatives Chandler, Peery, Neher, McLean, Hochstatter, Betrozoff and Paris

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Erwin, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Craswell, Metcalf, Murray, Oke, Pelz, Rinehart, A. Smith, and Talmadge.

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786‑7424)

Hearing Dates: February 25, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Current law permits second class school districts with fewer than 200 full time equivalent students to employ the spouse of an officer of the district as a certificated or classified employee.

The law also permits second class school districts with fewer than 500 full time equivalent students to employ the spouse of an officer of the district as a substitute teacher, provided the board of directors has found a shortage of substitute teachers in the district.

In both cases the terms of the contracts must be commensurate with the pay plan or collective bargaining agreement operating in the district.

SUMMARY:

The exception to the conflict of interest statute permitting substitute teachers to be hired who are spouses of officers of the districts in districts with under 500 students is expanded to apply to all school districts of any size. 

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This legislation will help solve the shortage of substitutes.  It will also encourage persons to run for school board who are reluctant to run because their spouses, under current law, could not work as substitute teachers.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Representative Chandler, prime sponsor (pro); David James, Royal School District #160