Panel advances $2,000 teacher-salary boost after removing tie to House bill

Senate Bill 201, which would raise the minimum salary schedule for certified school personnel by $2,000, was reported out of committee Tuesday after lawmakers removed a statutory cross-reference to a separate House bill.

The committee adopted an amendment to the amendment that deletes section 2 of the bill, striking the explicit tie to House Bill 3705. Speaker Hilbert told the committee the deletion removes the statutory linkage but said the measures “are tied together” as part of a broader education agreement reached with the Senate caucus. Hilbert said the package discussed at a recent press conference with the governor includes a $2,000 salary increase for teachers, a schedule change to boost minimum pay and a $25,000,000 increase to a parental choice tax credit.

Representative Provenzano pressed whether the parental-choice provision would appear as a written budget line item, asking: “Is it going to appear in the budget as a line item?” Hilbert responded that the component was part of a verbal budget agreement discussed by the majority caucus and at a press conference.

Back on the amended bill, sponsor Representative Chad Caldwell described the change as an adjustment to the minimum salary schedule by $2,000. Representative Ransom asked whether administrators were excluded; Caldwell clarified the increase applies to certified personnel except for positions specifically listed in the amendment. The committee recorded the vote and reported the bill out with a due pass; the clerk announced a tally of 29 ayes and 0 nays.

The committee took the procedural step of adopting the amendment to the amendment without objection after a member initially objected on timeliness grounds under Rule 76(c). The chair ruled the objection not well taken, noting the chair has authority to waive filing deadlines.

The bill will move next according to the legislature’s usual floor and scheduling procedures.