HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1761

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to increasing the number of hours that a retired teacher or administrator can serve as a substitute teacher or administrator without a reduction in benefits.

Brief Description:  Increasing the number of hours retired teachers and administrators can serve as substitute teachers or administrators without a reduction in benefits.

Sponsors:  Representatives Talcott, Carrell, Rockefeller, Wensman, Stensen, Thomas, Fortunato, Mulliken, Haigh, Schoesler, Bush and Esser.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  2/15/99, 2/18/99 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Extending the number of hours that retired teachers and administrators may work as substitute teachers without losing retirement benefits.

$Extending the number of hours that retired administrators may work as substitute administrators without losing retirement benefits.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 14 members:  Representatives Quall, Democratic Co-Chair; Talcott, Republican Co-Chair; Haigh, Democratic Vice Chair; Schindler, Republican Vice Chair; Carlson; Cox; Keiser; Rockefeller; Santos; D. Schmidt; Schual-Berke; Stensen; Sump and Wensman.

Staff:  Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:

The Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) Plan I includes teachers and school administrators hired prior to October 1, 1977.  A retiree under this system may work 525 hours, or about 75 days, each year with no reduction in retirement benefits. 

In  a school district that has passed a resolution declaring a shortage of substitute teachers, a TRS Plan I retiree can work an additional 105 hours, for a total of about 90 days, as a substitute teacher.  In a school district that has passed a resolution declaring an inability to find a replacement administrator to fill a vacancy, a TRS I retiree may serve as a substitute administrator for an additional 105 hours.  The additional 105 hours is available only to those TRS Plan I retirees working as substitute teachers or administrators.

A resolution is valid only for the school year in which it is adopted.  A copy of the resolution, with a list of retirees who have been hired, must be provided to the Department of Retirement Systems.

Summary of Bill:

In addition to the 525 hours that TRS Plan I retirees may work each year with no reduction in benefits, TRS Plan I retirees working for school districts may work an additional 350 rather than 105 hours as substitute teachers.  In addition, retired administrators may work an additional 350 rather than 105 hours as substitute administrators.  Each of these expended authorities is subject to the current restrictions in law.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The pool of available substitute teachers is shrinking precipitously.  This legislation will expand the pool by allowing retired teachers to substitute for additional hours each year without losing pension benefits.  These retired teachers bring a wealth of experience into state classrooms.  They have vital classroom management techniques and are dependable, screened, experienced, and highly skilled.  The legislation will not cost the state any additional money, but it will provide districts with additional options when they need either substitute teachers or a substitute administrator on a temporary basis.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Talcott, prime sponsor; Lea Wilson, Department of Retirement Systems; John Kvamme, Washington Association of School Administrators and Association of Washington School Principals; and Bob Maier, Washington Education Association.