HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5546

As Reported by House Committee On:

Education

Title:  An act relating to reclassifying the state board of education as a class four group.

Brief Description:  Reclassifying the state board of education as a class four group.

Sponsors:  Senators McAuliffe, Finkbeiner, Rasmussen, B. Sheldon, Fairley, Johnson, Hewitt, Eide and Kohl‑Welles; by request of State Board of Education.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Education:  2/20/02, 2/21/02 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

$The members of the State Board of Education may receive up to $100 per day, rather than $50, for every day that the board meets or works on statutory duties.  The money is in addition to food, lodging, and travel allowances.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; Haigh, Vice Chair; Talcott, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, McDermott, Rockefeller and Schmidt.

Minority Report:  Without recommendation. Signed by 3 members: Representatives Santos, Schindler and Upthegrove.

Staff:  Susan Morrissey (786‑7111).

Background:

Part‑time state boards and commissions are divided into five groups based primarily on the duties and functions of the board or commission.  The State Board of Education is currently a class three group.  Class three groups have rule-making authority, perform quasi‑judicial functions, and regulate and set policies for professions, occupations, businesses, or industries.  In addition to food, lodging, and travel allowances, members of a class three group may receive up to $50 a day when attending an official meeting or performing statutory duties approved by the chair of the organization.

Class four groups perform the same functions as the class three groups, however, the duties of the class four group are considered to be of "overriding sensitivity and importance to the public welfare and the operation of state government."  Usually, a class four group meets more than 100 hours a year.  In addition to food, lodging, and travel allowances, members of a class four group may receive up to $100 a day when attending an official meeting or performing statutory duties approved by the chair of the organization.

Summary of Bill:

The State Board of Education is changed from a class three group to a class four group for the purpose of determining the compensation level paid to board members.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The State Board of Education meets the statutory requirements for a class four group.  Its responsibilities include approval of capital budgets for schools, rule adoptions governing minimum graduation requirements, and the determination of the validity and reliability of the state's criterion referenced assessment system; responsibilities that are of overwhelming importance to the state's system of education.  Since the board devotes countless hours each year to improving the education of the state's children, it deserves to be included among the other class four groups.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Tom Parker, State Board of Education.