HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 2376

BYRepresentatives Betrozoff, Dorn, Peery, Brumsickle, Walker, Schoon, Winsley and P. King 

Establishing provisions for fraudulent reports of continuing education credits.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Fuhrman, Holland, Horn, Jones, Phillips, Rasmussen, Schoon, Walker and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 7, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The State Board of Education requires a holder of a professional education certificate applied for after July 1, 1988 to complete 150 hours of continuing education credits every five years (WAC 180-85-075).  These credits may be used for placement or advancement of an individual on the salary schedule (RCW 28A.71.110).  The hours may be earned by taking college courses or in-service training.

SUMMARY:

If an individual deliberately misrepresents or fraudulently reported the number or completion of continuing education credits and received an increase in salary based on these credits, the individual shall be required to reimburse the school district for the fraudulently gained increase. The salary must be repaid with interest from the date of the salary increase to the date of discovery.  The number of fraudulently reported credits shall be deducted from their total credits earned for placement on the salary allocation schedule.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative John Betrozoff and Representative Randy Dorn.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This bill is concerned with knowingly reporting fraudulent credits.  It is not aimed at accidental conduct.  It is primarily aimed at a method of retrieving salary that in fact has not been earned.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.