COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
Senate Bill No. 98
(By Senators Unger, Craigo, Kessler, Snyder and Edgell)
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[Originating in the Committee on Education;
reported January 16, 2002.]
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A BILL to amend article four, chapter eighteen-a of the code of
West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section
twenty, relating to providing moving expenses for teachers who
meet certain criteria; and requiring certain reports to be
made by state board and county boards of education.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article four, chapter eighteen-a of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section twenty,
to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
§18A-4-20. Moving expenses allowed for teachers laid off in
counties due to lack of need.
(a) From funds appropriated, the department of education may
pay the moving expenses for a teacher who meets the following
criteria:
(1) The teacher's position was eliminated as part of a reduction in force by a West Virginia county school board;
(2) The teacher has secured employment for a West Virginia
county school board in another county;
(3) The teacher has moved his or her residence to the West
Virginia county in which he or she has gained employment or to an
adjacent county in West Virginia;
(4) The teacher is to be employed in a county where shortages
exist either in numbers of teachers or in subject matter areas as
determined by the state board; and
(5) As a result of the new employment, it would be impractical
for the teacher to maintain his or her previous residence.
(b) The reimbursement shall be for actual expenses and shall
not exceed two thousand five hundred dollars, subject to the
availability of funds.
(c) Each county board of education shall send the state board
by the first day of May, annually, a report that includes:
(1) The available teacher positions in the county;
(2) Any shortages in subject matter areas in the county; and
(3) The name of all teachers reduced in force: Provided, That
the teacher has permitted the county board to submit his or her
name.
(d) The state board shall compile a report including all
information submitted to the state board based on the reports
provided in subsection (c) of this section. The state board shall
send this report to each county board of education. Additionally,
the state board shall send a letter to all teachers reduced in force. This letter shall identify all teacher positions available
in West Virginia and identify those counties where shortages exist
either in numbers of teachers or in subject matter areas.
(e) The state board shall promulgate a rule pursuant to the
provisions of article three-b, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code
that implements the provisions of this section. The rule shall
include, but is not limited to:
(1) Standards sufficient to define and measure the criteria
set forth in subsection (a) of this section; and
(2) A procedure for allocating the funds if the funds
appropriated are insufficient.
(f) Nothing in this section shall require any level of
appropriation by the Legislature.
(g) The state board shall report to the Legislature by the
first day of January of each year on the number of teachers being
reimbursed.
(h) This section shall expire on the first day of July, two
thousand five, unless continued by the Legislature.