Committee defers sick leave and sabbatical bills

LFT President Steve Monaghan explains the Federation's opposition to HB 399 and HB 400, which threatened sick leave and sabbatical benefits.

Two pieces of legislation that educators feared would harm their sick leave and sabbatical leave benefits were deferred by the House Education Committee today.

Rep. Kevin Pearson (R-Slidell) voluntarily sidetracked his HB 399 and HB 400 when it became apparent that the committee would not approve the bills. In just the past week, nearly 1,500 people sent messages to the Education Committee urging them to vote against the bills. The messages were coordinated by the LFT Action Center.

HB 399 would have allowed school boards an exemption from granting sabbatical leave if the state fails to fund a 2.75% growth factor in public education’s Minimum Foundation Program.

HB 400 would have granted school boards the same exemption for teachers and school employees applying for extended sick leave.

LFT President Steve Monaghan said the bills would encourage school systems to take away hard-won rights from teachers and school employees. Monaghan told the committee that the bills amounted to "death by a thousand paper cuts" for teachers and school employees.