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03 LC 22 5136ER
Senate Bill
268
By: Senators Jackson of the 50th, Bulloch of the 11th, Hooks of the 14th and Butler of the 55th
By: Senators Jackson of the 50th, Bulloch of the 11th, Hooks of the 14th and Butler of the 55th
A BILL TO BE
ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to
provide for an increase in state salary for certain school speech-language
pathologists and audiologists who earn national certification; to provide
definitions; to phase-in such salary increase according to length of employment
in Georgia public schools; to provide for the amount of such increase; to
provide when such increase shall become effective; to provide for related
matters; to provide for an effective date contingent upon approval of funding;
to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, is amended by
inserting a new Code section to be designated Code Section 20-2-212.4 to read as
follows:
"20-2-212.4.
(a) As used in this Code section:
(1) 'National certification' means a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in Speech Language Pathology or audiology.
(2) 'School speech-language pathologist or audiologist' means a person who holds a valid Georgia teaching certificate.
(b) Any school speech-language pathologist or audiologist who:
(1) Has completed 20 years of employment as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Georgia public schools by the 2003-2004 school year, 15 years of employment as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Georgia public schools by the 2004-2005 school year, or ten years of employment as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Georgia public schools by the 2005-2006 school year;
"20-2-212.4.
(a) As used in this Code section:
(1) 'National certification' means a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in Speech Language Pathology or audiology.
(2) 'School speech-language pathologist or audiologist' means a person who holds a valid Georgia teaching certificate.
(b) Any school speech-language pathologist or audiologist who:
(1) Has completed 20 years of employment as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Georgia public schools by the 2003-2004 school year, 15 years of employment as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Georgia public schools by the 2004-2005 school year, or ten years of employment as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Georgia public schools by the 2005-2006 school year;
(2) Has not previously received state funds for
participating in any certification area in the national certification program;
and
(3) Has successfully completed the requirements for and has received national certification
shall receive not less than a 10 percent increase annually in state salary for each year such person holds national certification. Such increase shall be awarded at the commencement of the school year following such national certification and each such year thereafter, provided that such increase shall not be payable for any school year prior to the 2003-2004 school year. The 10 percent increase shall be computed based on the state salary for such individual for the school year when the increase is first awarded and recomputed each subsequent year based on the individual´s state salary for that school year. The increase in state salary provided by this Code section shall be in addition to any other increase for which the person is eligible.
(c) A school speech-language pathologist or audiologist shall be granted two days of approved paid leave to prepare the documentation required for national certification.
(d) The state shall reimburse a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist for the national certification program participation fee upon certification if the school speech-language pathologist or audiologist is eligible for a salary increase pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section.
(e) A school speech-language pathologist or audiologist for whom the State of Georgia pays the participation fee and who does not serve as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in a Georgia public school for at least one year after receiving national certification shall repay the participation fee to the state. Repayment is not required if the school speech-language pathologist or audiologist is unable to complete the additional year due to the death or disability of the school speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
(f) The provisions of this Code section shall become effective upon the approval of funding of such increase and related expenditures by the General Assembly."
(3) Has successfully completed the requirements for and has received national certification
shall receive not less than a 10 percent increase annually in state salary for each year such person holds national certification. Such increase shall be awarded at the commencement of the school year following such national certification and each such year thereafter, provided that such increase shall not be payable for any school year prior to the 2003-2004 school year. The 10 percent increase shall be computed based on the state salary for such individual for the school year when the increase is first awarded and recomputed each subsequent year based on the individual´s state salary for that school year. The increase in state salary provided by this Code section shall be in addition to any other increase for which the person is eligible.
(c) A school speech-language pathologist or audiologist shall be granted two days of approved paid leave to prepare the documentation required for national certification.
(d) The state shall reimburse a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist for the national certification program participation fee upon certification if the school speech-language pathologist or audiologist is eligible for a salary increase pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section.
(e) A school speech-language pathologist or audiologist for whom the State of Georgia pays the participation fee and who does not serve as a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in a Georgia public school for at least one year after receiving national certification shall repay the participation fee to the state. Repayment is not required if the school speech-language pathologist or audiologist is unable to complete the additional year due to the death or disability of the school speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
(f) The provisions of this Code section shall become effective upon the approval of funding of such increase and related expenditures by the General Assembly."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
repealed.