Lobby Up: Requirements For Education Commissioner May Change

by Roby Brock ([email protected]) 138 views 

Bradley Phillips with LobbyUp.com joined Talk Business & Politics this week for his segment on the most viewed bills from the legislative session.

LobbyUp’s online bill tracking service uses its technology and analytics to bring some of the most heavily-read and controversial bills of the session to viewers and readers.

This week, Phillips examined:

SB 176 – To Modify The Qualifications For a Person To Serve As the Commissioner of Education by Sens. Alan Clark and Jane English.

The bill removes the requirement to have a masters degree and limits the secondary career requirement to a bachelor’s degree.

It also eliminates the requirement for the Education Commissioner to have 10 years’ direct or indirect experience as a teacher, 5 of which must be of an administrative or supervisory nature in the field of education.

The new requirement requires 10 years direct or indirect experience in the field of education, including without limitation as a teacher, administrator, or policy maker.

HB 1274-1277 – A Package of Bills Tied To Workers’ Rights by Rep. Greg Leding and others.

One bill amends payments to survivors of firefighters, while another measure permits tax credits for employers who allow workers to take paid family leave. A third bill requires employers to include more information on workers’ pay stubs, and a fourth bill requires employers to pay fired employees wages due upon termination. It also adds penalties for non-payment, including the accumulation of additional wages.

HB 1077 – Allows Concealed Carry Permit Holders To Have Guns On College Campuses by Rep. Charlie Collins.

The bill drops the opt-out provision that colleges and universities had to allow handguns from staff members who are licensed carriers on campuses. See more on this bill here.

Phillips said the most read bill of the week, however, was the teacher retirement appropriation bill, SB 113.

Read more of Phillips analysis in this weekly column he produces and watch his full interview below.