Question: How many anti-teacher/education laws have been passed by the Republicans and signed by Governor Rick "I'm not against unions/teachers/public education/etc." Synder, the past two years?
Answer: 11
How many bills are pending attacking teachers, public education, the middle class, and workers in general?
Answer: 19 and counting
Need a little inspiration? Watch the clip below.
A one-line summary of each law/bill is listed below.
Republican Attacks -
A Look Back and a Look Ahead
With the sheer number of attacks from Legislative Republicans since February 2011, it’s helpful to lay out a few highlights in one document. It should be noted that this is NOT an exhaustive list of the bills. To view the complete list visit our Bill Tracker at www.mea.org/gov/pdf/bill_tracker.pdf
What Has Passed
PA 4 – 3/17/2011
This Act requires schools to fall under the newly defined and expanded use of Emergency Financial Managers to include ability to unilaterally terminate or amend contracts, dissolve elected boards, etc.
PA 42 – 5/26/2011
This Act eliminates tax exemptions for public school employee pensions.
PA 54 – 6/8/2011
This Act freezes wages after a contract expires, passes health care cost increases on to employees and bans retroactive bargaining.
PA 62 – 6/21/2011
This Act cuts education funding $1 Billion.
PA 101 – 7/19/2011
This Act ties completion of probation to student test scores, allows summary discharge of probationary teachers; allows taking away tenure and prohibits bargaining over evaluation.
PA 100 – 7/19/2011
This Act allows for unpaid suspensions, removes “reasonable and just cause” as the standard for discharge; holds that 2 “ineffective” evaluations is proof of ineffective teaching; stops pay for tenured teachers 90 days after an appeal is filed.
PA 102 – 7/19/2011
This Act amends the school code and prohibits bargaining over evaluation and lay-off standards; prohibits seniority as a factor in assignments including lay-off/recall situation; sets forth evaluation criteria, including student test scores as a major factor; and establishes the “Governor's Council on Educator Effectiveness” to develop statewide evaluation criteria.
PA 103- 7/19/2011
This Act amends PERA and makes the following prohibited subjects of bargaining: policies and standards for reductions in force; content and standards for evaluation; procedures regarding discipline or discharge; decisions how merit pay might be awarded; decisions about classroom observations and placement in innovation programs.
PA 152 – 9/27/2011
Requires public employees to pay 20% of their health insurance or a “hard cap.”
PA 277 – 12/20/2011 (Effective 3/27/12 – Immediate Effect withheld)
Eliminates cap on charter schools with no oversight or accountability.
PA 53 – 3/16/2012
Prohibits using payroll deduction for union dues. Applies to school district employees only.
What Is Still Out There
HB 4306 – Pending on House Floor
Requires school districts to solicit bids to outsource certain support services.
SB 729 – Pending in Committee
“Right to Work for Less” for MEA members only.
Senate Joint Resolution B – Pending in Committee
Calls for salary reduction and temporary pay freeze for public employees.
HB 4140 – Pending in Committee
Allows for statewide public employee health care plan.
SB 593 – Pending in Committee
Creates a defined contribution retirement plan for all school employees hired after 7/1/2011.
HB 4420 – Pending in Committee
Removes community colleges from the MPSERS retirement system.
HB 4052 – Pending on the House floor
Ban use of taxpayer funded equipment and facilities for union or political activities.
HB 4059 – Passed House, Pending in Senate Committee
Prohibits public employer contracts that pay union officials for conducting union business.
HB 4466 – Pending on House Floor
Changes provisions concerning striking public employees (increased fines, group rather than individual fines).
HB 5023 – Pending in Committee
Expands the list of employees subject to penalties for striking.
HB 5024 – Pending in Committee
Prohibits mass picketing and sets fines on individuals and unions for violations
HB 5025 – Pending in Committee
Requires annual authorization by employees to have union dues deducted from their paychecks by the employers.
HB 5026 – Pending in Committee
Repeals the prohibition against advertising for strikebreakers (scabs).
SB 619 – Passed the Senate, pending on House Floor
Removes all controls and caps on cyber schools.
SB 620 – Pending on the Senate floor.
Creates “conversion charter schools.”
SB 621 – Passed the Senate, pending in House Committee
Expands list of schools that can provide service to students in private schools and receive state aid.
SB 622\SB 623 – Passed the Senate, pending in House Committee
Removes all limits on ability of students to attend college level courses while in high school
SB 624 – Pending in Senate Committee
Bill mandates schools of choice.
SB 1040 – Pending in Senate Committee
Comprehensive cuts to school employee pension and retiree health. Impacts all future, current and retired school employees.
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