Sen. Dmitrich legislative update

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We are now two full weeks into the 2007 Legislative session and here are a few of the Bills that we are working on that may be of interest to you. We will continue to keep you informed as the session progresses.
H.B 1 Minimum School Program Base Budget Amendments appropriates approximately $2.4 billion from the Uniform School Fund to fund the state portion of the Minimum School Program. This includes $529.1 million in local revenue that support the Minimum School Program.
Teachers were given a $2,500 raise and a $1,000 bonus in fiscal year 2008 and will be given another $2,500 in fiscal year 2009. In addition the Bill allows for enrollment growth of 2.4 percent, an increase of 12,800 students.
S.B 1 State Agency and Higher Education Base Budget Appropriations Act funds state agency and higher education base budgets for fiscal year 2009. It deposits $60.5 million into the State’s two rainy day funds appropriating $16.2 million for the General Rainy Day and $44.2 million in the Education Rainy Day Fund. This brings the total Rainy Day balances to more than $410 million, split $187 for the General and $227 into the Education. It also authorizes $2.5 million in new fiscal year 2008 General Fund spending for re-seeding efforts to recover from last years range fires.
S.B 15 Driving Under the Influence Amendments amends provisions relating to driving under the influence, by enacting an impaired driving plea that is a class B misdemeanor. It requires the court to notify the Driver License Division of a conviction for impaired driving, provides sentencing requirements for impaired driving convictions, and repeals certain alcohol or drug-related reckless driving plea restrictions.
S.B 19 Enhanced Public Safety Requirements Systems Cola Option modifies the State Requirement and Insurance Benefit Act by allowing participating employers to provide an enhanced maximum annual cost of living adjustment for certain public safety retirees, with an increase to 4 percent from the current rate of 2.5 percent. It also allows other participating employers to make a one time election to offer the enhanced cost of living adjustment, if made within a certain period of time.