H-1619.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2208

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Fortunato, Miloscia, Ericksen, H. Sommers, Lambert, Esser and Ruderman

Read first time 02/19/1999.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Authorizing a housing affordability salary supplement for teachers.

    AN ACT Relating to a housing affordability salary supplement for teachers; adding a new section to chapter 28A.400 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  It is the intent of the legislature to ensure that the common schools have an adequate supply of classroom teachers.  The legislature finds that the price of housing is significantly higher in certain areas of the state than in other areas of the state.  The legislature further finds that the percentage of salary required to procure housing in these areas is significantly greater for those teachers who receive salaries at the level provided to less experienced teachers on the state salary schedule.  Therefore, the legislature finds that there is a need to provide a housing supplement to the salaries of low-salaried teachers in areas of the state that are most impacted by housing affordability issues.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.400 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) To address extraordinary housing costs for teachers who reside in certain areas and who receive salaries at the level provided to less experienced teachers on the state salary schedule, a housing affordability salary supplement is provided, subject to funding in the omnibus appropriations act.

    (2) To be eligible for the supplement, a district must be:

    (a) Among the quartile of districts that can raise a ten percent maintenance and operating levy based on the lowest property tax rate; and

    (b) Located wholly or partly within a county that is above the state average in the cost of housing rental rates for a two bedroom residence, as measured by the housing and urban development fair market rent data.

    (3) Teachers in eligible districts shall receive the salary supplement during each school year that the teacher is placed in any of the first five years of the state salary schedule.

    (4) The supplement shall equal the difference between the rental rate for the county and the state average rental rate.  The supplement shall be calculated on an annual basis before the beginning of the school year for each school year, based on the data from the previous year.  The annual supplement shall be allocated and paid on a monthly basis during the school year that the teacher is eligible. The total annual supplement must be at least one hundred dollars.

    (5) The housing affordability salary supplement provided under this section shall not be considered part of the state's obligation to fund basic education.

    (6) If the legislature revokes any benefits granted under this section, no affected employee is entitled to receive such benefits as a matter of contractual right.

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