Education committee reports $2,000 across‑the‑board pay raise for educators

The Education Committee on an unrecorded voice vote advanced Senate Bill 2001, a proposal to provide a $2,000 across‑the‑board pay increase for K‑12 teachers, teacher assistants and community college and IHL instructors.

Chair (speaker 1) told the committee the increase would apply to teachers, teacher assistants, CTE instructors and higher‑education faculty, and estimated the cost at $132,000,000. “Our educators deserve or need more than just $2,000,” the Chair said, adding he would like to see the figure rise toward $5,000 if appropriations allow.

The bill includes intent language for IHL and community college professors and directs that implementation details for higher‑education payroll be resolved in the appropriations process. Chair also noted language intended to prevent districts from offsetting the state increase by cutting local supplements for teacher assistants; the measure would reduce a district’s student funding formula money for each day that local supplements are reduced.

Senators Hobson and Boyd are listed as coauthors on the measure, the chair said. With no questions from committee members, a motion that the bill be reported as “title sufficient, do pass” was made and the committee voice‑voted to report the bill to the next stage. The Chair said the specifics of lump‑sum versus recurring payments and higher‑education disbursement will be addressed in the appropriations bill.

The committee reported SB2001 to the full legislature; the measure will next be considered through the appropriations process.