FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, February 25, 2013
Contact: Steve Hopcraft, 916/457-5546; steve@hopcraft.com
Fred Glass, 510/ 579-3343; fglasscft@gmail.com
CFT-sponsored 2013 Legislation
55% Majority for Local School Parcel Taxes,
Classroom Security Locks
SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Federation of Teachers (CFT) today announced that it is sponsoring several bills for the 2013-14 legislative session.
“For the first time in many years, we have a state budget that is not going backwards, thanks to Prop 30,” said Joshua Pechthalt, president of the CFT. “This allows us to work with legislators to propose a forward looking package of bills to improve public education.”
SCA 3 (Leno) Parcel Tax Threshold – Lowers the Constitutional vote requirement to a 55 percent majority to approve a local education parcel tax. “It is time to replace the two-thirds vote required to pass local tax measures. We should be able to raise funds for local schools and colleges this way,” said Pechthalt.
AB 1199 (Fong) Community college funding stabilization ¬– Stabilizes funding for community colleges districts that have a certified plan to improve accreditation status.
SB 316 (Block) Classroom Locks – SB 316 promotes school safety with the installation of classroom security function locks in all schools. “Giving a teacher or classified employee the ability to lock his or her classroom door from the inside is a simple, common sense safety measure,” Pechthalt said. “It will add a layer to school security between every child and potential harm.”
SB 368 (Pavley) Special Ed Credentials – creates multiple pathways for training and credentialing Special Education teachers.
AB 507 (Garcia) Death Benefit Increase – provides a graduated death benefit increase for beneficiaries of retired classified school employees, since current benefit is insufficient to purchase a casket.
AB 950 (Chau) Faculty Overload — Limits the amount of excess work a full-time community college faculty member can be assigned to 50 percent, with exceptions as specified.
AJR 13 (Hueso) Job Corps Program — urges Congressional action to maintain the full range of educational and employment services provided by Job Corps to help young people prepare for, find, and keep a good job.