Call Today to Vote NO on 575

SENATE BILL 575

On Wednesday Senate Bill 575 was heard on the floor of the House of Representatives. Multiple amendments were made to the bill.

It is critical that all members contact your House and Senate members immediately. Ask them to VOTE NO ON SB 575!

Here is a breakdown of amendments:

Amendment #55 and Amendment #74 Deficit Financing (Behning-R)
These amendments do not change the overall definition of deficit financing, but still link financing to an employer's actual-year revenue. The amendments do open the definition to include general fund monies and not actual-year revenue.

Amendment #60 Teacher Hours (Behning-R)
This amendment does not reinsert "hours" as being bargainable. The amendment does require that individual teacher contracts include: "The number of hours per day the teacher is expected to work, as discussed pursuant to IC 20-29-6-7." ISTA believes a legal link exists between what is required to be discussed for hours and what language ends up in teacher contracts.


Amendment #64 Appeals (Behning-R)
This amendment added the ability to request the IEERB to engage in fact-finding as it relates to unsettled contracts.The bill included a reorganization of the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board. The reorganization would require new board members to be appointed by the governor. The changes create a loophole for school boards that do not agree with the results of the fact-finding process and will allow school boards to appeal decisions to the IEERB.


Amendment #75 Effective Date (Behning-R)
This amendment moves the effective date back to July 1 with the exception of teacher evaluations that cannot be bargained after passage of the bill. In other words, evaluations cannot be bargained as soon as the governor signs the bill into law—as early as next week.


Amendment #45 Contract Length (Thompson-R)
This amendment dictates that contracts must end on December 31 of the second year of the budget cycle which aligns school contracts with the state’s budget cycle.


Amendment #43 Maintenance (Goodin-D)
This amendment extends the ability of school districts to use capital project funds to pay for utilities and liability insurance for an additional two years.

Amendment #61 Suspensions (Behning-R)
This amendment restores the current law as it relates to suspensions with pay.

Amendment #62 ESP Bargaining (Behning-R)
This amendment limits ESP bargaining to the same restrictions that teachers are subject to in SB 575.

Amendment #56 Paid Time Off (Borders-R)
This amendment allows paid time off to be bargained.

IMMEDIATE ACTION!
Again, it is critical that all members contact their House and Senate members immediately. Ask them to VOTE NO ON SB 575!

Indiana State Senate
800-382-9467 (Toll Free)

Indiana House of Representatives
800-382-9841 (Toll Free)