Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1251513
Legislative 2020 Budget Session The House and Senate compromise: The External Cost Adjustment (ECA) will be fully funded ($19 million) in 2021 and funded at about $10 million in 2022. The compensation for NBCT came under threat but remained unchanged ($4,000 per year), thanks to a line-item veto from Governor Gordon. This year's mandated Recalibration Study will continue in spite of the COVID-19 crisis. Results are scheduled to be made available for consideration in 2021. Detrimental Senate amendments sought to form an advisory committee on recalibration that neglected to seat education representatives. These amendments failed. As a Wyoming education leader, WEA was called upon to nominate individuals to participate in Professional Judgement (PJ) panels that are integral to the 2020 recalibration of the state's funding model. The House saves the day: Senate File 108 was a proposal to increase the retirement age, increase employee contributions, and increase the rule of 85 to the rule of 90. The House refused to hear this bill, effectively killing it. Senate File 118 was an attempt by the Senate Appropriations Committee to continue the cap on special education and place a new cap on transportation costs. The House refused to hear this bill, effectively killing it. WEA-R lobbied in favor of House Bill 112, which would have allowed for the use of profits from capital gains to enact a cost of living adjustment for retirees. Unfortunately, the Senate refused to hear this bill, effectively killing it. Appropriations for employee health insurance costs were cut. But, cuts were minimized from an initially-proposed 7.5% to just over 2%. Recalibration findings could force these cuts to be rolled back. On March 27th, the President signed the bipartisan CARES Act, a stimulus legislation that provides over $2 trillion in economic relief. Within the CARES Act is the Education Stabilization Fund, which provides over $30 billion for states to bolster their K-12 and higher education systems. In an effort to allow districts to save money in preparation for coming cuts, SF/HB1003 Emergency budgeting COVID 19 would have allowed districts the ability to carry over 25% of their funds, instead of the 15% allowed under current statute. Sen. Eli Bebout (R) proposed an alarming amendment that would have granted the Governor authority to reduce funding in the School Foundation Program and reallocate those funds to other governmental agencies, departments, or programs at his discretion. This proposed amendment would have allowed the Governor to ignore the funding model and proceed to reduce education funding in the state if he so chose. This bill passed the Senate, but thankfully, died in the House. While this saves education from gubernatorial discretionary cuts, it has also halted districts' ability to increase their carryover and save this money. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act 2020 Special Session Legislative ACTION By: Tate Mullen Photo caption page opposite: Clockwise from left: Hope statue in the Wyoming Capitol building. Sen. Chris Rothfuss (D) celebrates Read Across America Day. Gov. Mark Gordon signs a bill into law. Legislators hard at work on the House floor. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, approved by Congress in late March, made Wyoming's K-12 schools eligible for $32.5 million to spend on relief of the current pandemic and to prepare for future pandemics. These funds must be used exclusively on pandemic-related costs. They cannot be used to fill preexisting budgetary shortfalls. 10