An Act To Facilitate a Statewide Teacher Contract
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §962, sub-§5-A is enacted to read:
(1) Holds appropriate certification from the Department of Education, including an employee whose duties include, in addition to those for which certification is required, either the setup, maintenance or upgrading of a school computer system the use of which is to assist in introducing new learning to students or providing school faculty orientation and training related to use of the school computer system for educational purposes; or
(2) Holds an appropriate license issued to a professional employee by a licensing agency of the State; and
"Public education employee" does not include any employee of a public school who fills a position that is required to be filled by a person holding a certificate pursuant to Title 20-A, section 13019-A, 13019-B or 13019-C.
Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §962, sub-§§8 and 9 are enacted to read:
Sec. 3. 26 MRSA §965, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2009, c. 107, §5, is further amended to read:
Sec. 4. 26 MRSA §965, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
(1) To meet at reasonable times;
(2) To meet within 10 days after receipt of written notice from the other party requesting a meeting for collective bargaining purposes, as long as the parties have not otherwise agreed in a prior written contract;
(3) To execute in writing any agreements arrived at. The term of any such agreement is subject to negotiation but may not exceed 3 years;
(4) To participate in good faith in the mediation, fact-finding and arbitration procedures required by this section; and
(5) To confer and negotiate in good faith with respect to salary and benefits.
A cost item related to this subsection must be submitted for inclusion in the Governor's next operating budget within 10 days after the date on which the agreement is ratified by the parties. If the Legislature rejects any of the cost items related to this subsection submitted to the Legislature, all cost items related to this subsection must be returned to the parties for further bargaining.
For purposes of this paragraph, "cost item" means any benefit acquired through collective bargaining the implementation of which requires an appropriation by the Legislature.
This subsection does not prohibit the negotiation of salary and benefits in addition to what is negotiated between the State and the bargaining agent under this subsection.
Sec. 5. Funding plan. The Commissioner of Education shall develop a plan for funding the implementation of this Act, including how the funding will be incorporated in a new school funding formula for the 2019-2020 school year.
SUMMARY
This bill allows a public employer of teachers to designate the State as its representative in collective bargaining negotiations for the purpose of encouraging consistent teacher contracts statewide.