FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1384

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                         C 308 L 93

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.

By Representatives Chandler, Hansen, Karahalios, Dorn, Brough and Foreman.

House Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Education

Background:  Current law 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.  The terms of the contract must be commensurate with the pay plan or collective bargaining agreement operating in the district. 

"Officer" is defined to include all elected and appointed officers of the district, together with all deputies and assistants of such an officer, and all persons exercising any of the powers or functions of a district officer.

Some larger school districts have reported difficulties finding qualified substitute teachers.  Also, some larger districts have reported that potential candidates for school board positions occasionally decline to run for office, expressing the desire not to disqualify a spouse from employment in the district as a substitute teacher.

Summary:  Any school district may employ the spouse of an officer of the district as a substitute teacher, if the board of directors has found a shortage of substitute teachers in the district.

The terms of the employment contract with the substitute must be commensurate with the pay plan or collective bargaining agreement operating in the district.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 43 0 (Senate amended)

House            (House refused to concur)

Senate 46 0 (Senate receded)

  Effective:  July 25, 1993