Tonight the Senate passed to third reading the committee substitute to HB 2 with four adopted floor amendments. The Senate press release on the bill stated, “Leadership in each chamber announced Thursday evening that they have reached agreement on a package to deliver $8.5 billion in new funding to public schools.” In addition to the $4.2 billion in teacher pay raises, “it also includes $500 million for raises for non-teaching non-administrative staff like custodians, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers. The new bill would also create a basic cost allotment to cover costs for things like utilities, increased district burden for teacher pensions that the new raises will bring, and insurance costs.”
