Capitol Insider

Capitol Insider

March 15, 2022

It’s over…for now

            You did it!  It was you coming to the Statehouse, writing notes, making phone calls, and talking to others that gave us – the public schools and teachers – the wins this year.  Thank you, thank you.  But don’t stop there.  First, there are elections between now and the next legislative session.  You know what to do, and we are working on some step-by-step actions to help you get it done.  These bad ideas will be back.  Meanwhile celebrate your wins!

And those WINS are…

• SB 17 – potential prosecution of school librarians if someone made the argument the material was harmful to minors. 
• 1072 – mandating school districts that raised referendum dollars to send some of that to charter schools.
• 1134 – based on the fallacy that K-12 schools are teaching critical race theory among other things.
• 1107 – putting the burden of proof on schools in special ed due process hearings.  Really? Being guilty until proven innocent? Is that even constitutional?
• 1187 – An attempt to kill the Gary Teacher Union, AFT #4, and keeping the community from every regaining local control of its schools.

I’d say that’s a pretty good record in any year.  Many thanks to the individuals and groups who worked hard to make these wins reality.

CCR – Conference Committee Report

Green fill = Senate vote

Peach fill = House vote

Bill #/ Roll Call                     Explanations of roll calls used in the vote tallies that follow

• SB 17/139: This bill, “Material Harmful to Minors,” removed “educational” as a defense for library materials in a public-school library or public library putting school librarians and public library librarians in jeopardy of being prosecuted.
• SB 17/97:  In an effort to clarify the what and the why of this bill, Sen. JD Ford offered an amendment that would have required collecting data and studying it before this could happen.  It failed.
• SB 297/171:  A bill to test our friends.  This bill changed the dues deduction bill language from last year only changing the who said what – taking away the “compelled speech” issue. We were the only group to testify against (or for) in the Senate. 
• SB 297/261: Again, a bill to test our friends. I specifically asked all the Dems in the House to vote NO. They all did.  Not exactly a legislative win, but a good place to find labor/teacher union friends.  
• SB 331/366:  This CCR still contains the language that established the doorway for expansion of Education Savings Accounts – backdoor vouchers. We picked up a couple of Republicans over the 3^rd reading vote.  Senators Alting and Bohacek came over on this one.
• SB 331/175:  This vote was before the CCR.  The Rs on this vote are Senators Becker and Tomes – 2more were added in roll call 366 above.
• SB 356/358:  This bill changed back and forth throughout the session.  One part that did not go away was the ability of the administration to pay any teacher any amount despite contract salaries.  Removed the language that limited to specific positions.  Still must be discussed. This is the Senate CCR – party line vote.
• SB 356/376:  This was the House CCR vote.  Almost straight party line adding 3 Republicans who voted against.
• HB 1072/106: Rep. Porter offered an amendment to the “referendum” bill that would have forced public schools to send money to charter schools.  This amendment that called for accountability for virtual schools failed.
• HB1072/138: The referendum bill died in the Senate never having a hearing.  However, it passed the House with all present Democrats voting NO and 11 Republicans joining them.  Be sure to see how yours voted.
• HB 1094/365: The bill had several parts.  The section on Transformation Zone Schools was our primary objection.  Teachers in any building (not district) that would go into the transformation zone would be removed from the current bargaining unit.  Although they could organize and bargain, the same language applies to charter schools – and we all know that hasn’t worked.  The author and supporters wanted this language so they could “pay the teachers more.”  Roll call vote 365 is the Senate vote on the CCR.
• HB 1094/380:  This is the House vote on the CCR.
• HB1107/98: This bill had a mix of support/oppose even among the education groups – although most opposed.  It had many moving parts with shifting the burden of proof regarding special ed due process hearings to the school.  This could be very costly in both time and money. Although many of our usual friends voted in favor, please note that the House RMM, Rep. Vernon Smith, stayed with opposing the bill. Thank you, Rep. Smith.
• HB 1134/114:  For the bill of the year, the contentious “Education Matters” that tried to sneakily address ‘divisive concepts’ such as Critical Race Theory (CRT) this vote was all-telling as the House passed it on 3^rd reading.
• HB 1251/271:  As the bill moved through the process, it ended up essentially where it started: adjunct teachers, issued a local teaching permit, paid whatever the administration wants to pay them, and assigned whatever the admin wants to assign.  Do you think they’ll get cafeteria duty? Will they be required to attend teacher meetings?  They are excluded from the bargaining unit, all protections that come with union membership, and will not be using the bargained salary.  This vote was on an amendment by Sen. JD Ford would have required a district to post for at least 3 months for a certified teacher to fill the position.  The amendment failed.
• HB 1251/375: This CCR vote showed support for the importance of having certificated teachers, not adjuncts, in classrooms.  The 11 Ds and 6 Rs opposed the CCR.
• HB 1251/132:  Rep. Smith offered an amendment that would have required a school corporation to assign a mentor to adjunct teachers who would have daily release time to advise these individuals.  The motion failed.
• HB 1251/395: The CCR passed in the House. 
• HB 1369/378: This “Public Safety Issues” CCR included reduced sentencing, towing cars and notification, and being able to prosecute school librarians (SB17), amazingly it went down in the final vote of the Senate 21-29 as 18 Republicans joined the 11 Democrats to vote NO.  I’m not sure if they were voting NO to sentencing, towing, or prosecuting librarians – but we’ll take the win.
• HB 1369/398: On the other hand, in the House only 6 of the 33 NO votes were Republicans and typically not pro-public education/teacher.

Gearing up for elections

            We need friends in the House and Senate.  And a lot more than we currently have.  The AFT Indiana Executive Board will be working with the Indiana AFL-CIO to chart a plan of action and engage you – leaders and members – to move the plan.  We’ll be looking for boots on the ground, time on the clock, and financial support to work with candidates who will support our public schools, teachers, and working families.  We are counting on you.  Check with your president as details will be coming their way.

1 = Correct vote                     blank = incorrect vote                       E=Excused                   NV=Not voting

*Griffin replaced Mrvan; some votes taken before appointment