Legislative Update
2008 Session
A brief synopsis of each
bill follows; the full text and status of the bill is accessible by clicking on
the bill number.
SB126 Partial tuition waiver; children of university and college faculty.
Establishes the Dependent Children of University and College Faculty Reduced
Tuition Program, to provide 50 percent tuition waivers for the children of
current full-time faculty members who have been employed full-time by any one or
more public Virginia college or university for an aggregate period of at least
seven years. The tuition waivers shall be used for undergraduate education at
any public institution of higher education in Virginia.
Chief Patron: Senator John Edwards
Current Status:
Assigned to Higher Education sub-committee.
SB127 Retirement; teachers and administrative faculty of
institutions of higher education.
Provides that teachers and administrative faculty of institutions of higher
education who are covered under an optional retirement plan (in lieu of the
Virginia Retirement System) and have 10 years of service with the Commonwealth
may make a one-time, irrevocable election to transfer into VRS.
Chief Patron:
Senator John Edwards
Current Status:
Assigned to Finance Committee.
SB128 Optional retirement
plan; institutions of higher education.
Provides that the annual contribution to
optional retirement plans covering certain employees at institutions of higher
education would not be less than the percentage contribution rate in effect that
is generally applicable for state employees who are members of the Virginia
Retirement System, including the five percent member contribution rate.
Chief Patron:
Senator John Edwards
Current Status:
Assigned to Finance Committee.
HB482 Optional retirement
plan; institutions of higher education.
Provides that the annual contribution to
optional retirement plans covering certain employees at institutions of higher
education would not be less than the percentage contribution rate in effect that
is generally applicable for state employees who are members of the Virginia
Retirement System, including the five percent member contribution rate.
Chief Patron:
Delegate James Shuler
Current Status:
Assigned to Compensation and Retirement sub-committee. Companion bill to SB128.
HB483 Retirement; teachers
and administrative faculty of institutions of higher education.
Provides that teachers and administrative
faculty of institutions of higher education who are covered under an optional
retirement plan (in lieu of the Virginia Retirement System) and have 10 years of
service with the Commonwealth may make a one-time, irrevocable election to
transfer into VRS.
Chief Patron:
Delegate James Shuler
Current Status:
Assigned to Compensation and Retirement sub-committee. Companion bill to HB127.
HJ128 Resolution;
encouraging international education programs.
Encourages the Commonwealth’s public institutions of higher education to enhance
opportunities for international educational programs. The Commonwealth’s
institutions of higher education are encouraged to (i) develop courses of study,
academic programs, and enrichment opportunities to increase student
understanding of global issues and cultural differences; (ii) promote courses in
foreign languages to prepare students to seek careers in a global marketplace
and enhance their understanding of other countries; (iii) provide opportunities
for students in all majors to participate in programs to study abroad to enrich
their academic training, intercultural perspectives, and personal development;
(iv) provide opportunities for domestic and international students to interact
effectively and routinely to share their views, perceptions, and experiences;
and (v) develop innovative public education programs, methods, and venues to
explore global issues and world cultures.
Chief Patron:
Delegate David Nutter
Current Status:
Assigned to Rules Committee.
Legislative Update
2007 Session
Last week all but one of the bills filed on behalf of the FSVA appeared on
committee dockets. Despite the short notice, we managed to have faculty
present at each committee meeting to speak on behalf of the legislation.
Many thanks to Brian Turner, Jeff Rossman, and faculty for their assistance
in attending meetings and speaking on behalf of faculty. Following is an
update on the status of each bill (accessed by clicking on the bill number):
SB982
Partial tuition waiver; children of university and college
faculty.
Chief Patron: Senator
John Edwards
Current Status:
Voted out of the Senate Education Committee; referred to Senate Finance;
some support depending on projected financial impact.
Needed Action:
Contact all members of the Senate Finance
Committee. Contact information will be given at the end of this update.
we need to contact ALL
members of the Senate Finance Committee
SB892
Faculty representative to the State
Council of Higher Education.
Current Status:
Assigned to Senate Education Committee; will be opposed by SCHEV.
Chief
Patron: Senator Creigh Deeds
Current Status:
Remains in the Senate Education Committee; will be on the docket for action
this week.
Needed Action:
Contact all members of the Senate
Education Committee.
SB893
Faculty representatives to the State
Board for Community Colleges, local community college boards, and boards of
visitors.
Current Status:
Failed in the Senate Higher Education sub-committee. Faculty from UVA and
AAUP spoke in favor of the bill; however, once again the UVA lobbyist
actively opposed the measure before and during the committee hearing.
Needed Action:
Send a thank you to Senator Creigh Deeds
for representing the issue on our behalf.
Chief
Patron: Senator Creigh Deeds
SB975 Retirement; teachers and administrative faculty of
institutions of higher education.
Provides that teachers and administrative faculty of institutions of higher
education who are covered under an optional retirement plan (in lieu of the
Virginia Retirement System) and have 10 years of service with the
Commonwealth may make a one-time, irrevocable election to transfer into VRS
Chief
Patron: Senator John Edwards
Current Status:
This is the Senate version of HB1972; will be on the docket of the Senate
Education Committee tomorrow.
Needed Action:
Contact members of the Senate Education
Committee.
SB976 Optional retirement plan; institutions of higher education.
Provides that the annual contribution to optional retirement plans covering
certain employees at institutions of higher education would not be less than
the percentage contribution rate in effect that is generally applicable for
state employees who are members of the Virginia Retirement System, including
the five percent member contribution rate.
Chief
Patron: Senator John Edwards
Current Status:
This is the Senate version of HB1974; will be on the docket of the Senate
Education Committee tomorrow.
Needed Action:
Contact members of the Senate Education
Committee.
HB1972
Retirement; teachers and administrative faculty of
institutions of higher education.
Chief
Patron: Delegate James Shuler
Current Status:
Voted out of the House Higher Education sub-committee; referred to
Retirement and Compensation sub-committee; limited opposition at this time.
Needed Action:
Contact all members of the House
Compensation and Retirement sub-committee.
HB1973
Optional retirement plan; institutions of higher education.
Chief
Patron: Delegate James Shuler
Current Status:
Voted out of the House Higher Education sub-committee; referred to
Retirement and Compensation sub-committee; limited opposition at this time.
Needed Action:
Contact all members of the House
Compensation and Retirement sub-committee.
HJ642
Study; Virginia's
competitiveness in attracting and retaining faculty for public institutions
of higher education.
Chief
Patron: Delegate David Nutter
Current Status:
Referred from the House Rules sub-committee; has been refiled as an
amendment in the form of a substitute; will be assigned to the House
Education Committee;
Needed Action:
Contact all members of the House Education
Committee.
Updates
of each bill are available weekly on the FSVA website (http://fsva.asp.radford.edu/)
or via the General Assembly’s Legislative Information website (http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?071+men+BIL).
How to Help
Faculty from across the Commonwealth can help by:
-
Forwarding this e-mail to as many colleagues as
possible on your campus.
Contacting the
Delegate and Senator’s office in Richmond by telephone and or e-mail and
inform them of your support for these bills. Remember to refer to
specific bill numbers. Contact information for each Delegate and
Senator can be accessed at:
http://legis.state.va.us/, or via the FSVA website
http://fsva.asp.radford.edu/
