Senate education subcommittee adopts amendments to H 3196 to clarify teacher contracts, add exemptions and penalty

The Senate Education Subcommittee voted to adopt an amendment to H 3196, the Educator Assistance Act, and then moved the amended bill forward with a favorable report during a subcommittee meeting.

The amendment adds a number of technical and policy changes the subcommittee said are intended to clarify teacher contracts, protect districts that already maintain unlimited leave banks, create a monetary penalty for failure to notify teachers of reemployment decisions, refine how breach-of-contract cases are handled and restore language governing retired educator certificates.

Mary Rita Watson, a representative of the South Carolina Education Association, told the subcommittee she and union members wanted employment contracts to show ‘‘the years of service and the level of education’’ so teachers can clearly see where they fall on the salary matrix. She said clearer contract information would reduce confusion between salary placement and separate retirement credit handled by PEBA.

Legislative staff member Miss Barton reviewed the draft amendment and said it adds a new subsection exempting any local district that, prior to the bill's effective…