Two more days of Springfield will keep your head spinning. Will Democrats vote to cut dedicated funding for special education teachers and cut pension benefits?
I have been reporting the last few days about HB 2808. It was to be the House version of SB 1, an education de-funding bill that would cut dedicated and direct funding to Illinois special education teachers.
It was sponsored in the House by Rep. William Davis, Robert W. Pritchard , Linda Chapa LaVia, Al Riley, Emanuel Chris Welch, Sue Scherer, Camille Y. Lilly and Will Guzzardi.
It now seems that with the legislature adjourning tomorrow there is no time to vote on the House measure and reconcile it with the Senate’s SB1, which does essentially the same thing – end dedicated and direct funding for special education teachers.
So, the House will vote on the Senate’s SB1, with an amendment.
Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1 now bluntly states that direct and dedicated funding for special education teachers and for all others providing direct services to students with disabilities including one special ed director for each school district will be eliminated.
“No funding shall be provided to school districts under this Section after fiscal year 2017.”
Meanwhile public employee pensions remain under attack.
The Illinois Education Association has a good summary of HB 4027, HB 4045, and Senate Bill SB 16 here.
While the pensions of current retirees are protected by the decision of the Illinois Supreme Court, these bills – or any version of them that may emerge – target current and future employees and their pensions.
They are attempts by legislative Democrats primarily to skirt the pension protection clause of the Illinois Constitution.
It is two more days folks.
You know what to do. 888 412 6570.
Two more days of Springfield will keep your head spinning. Will Democrats vote to cut dedicated funding for special education teachers and cut pension benefits? | Fred Klonsky: