Creating a statewide teachers insurance plan is one of the session's top issues. Texas' teacher shortage is blamed in part on the lack of affordable health insurance. The Senate's action sets the stage for a battle between the two chambers in a conference committee where differences must be worked out before the session ends May 28. It's just that different choices cause different sets of consequences. Bivins' proposal, which also covers retirees, creates an optional statewide pool.
Funding also comes from money schools get to equalize rich and poor districts.
The Senate plan, revised in committee last week, no longer relies on the passage of a constitutional amendment to change how the school fund is invested. The plan is still reliant on the passage of a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to use a portion of retired teachers' pension fund for their health insurance. Sandy Kitten, staff representative for Amarillo Federation of Teachers, said the bill still must go to conference committee. The federation is lobbying for state-paid insurance covering all employee premiums and half of dependent coverage for active and retired teachers. Neither the House nor Senate plan does that.