HBA-MSH H.B. 1438 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1438
By: Olivo
Public Education
4/12/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing certifies
interpreters for the deaf and hearing impaired on five different levels of
proficiency.  According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), there are more
than 7,000 students with hearing impairments in the public school system.
TEA also estimates that there are 588 interpreters for the hearing impaired
employed in Texas public schools. Children with hearing impairments are
limited in their opportunity to benefit from the education offered when
there is a shortage of qualified interpreters.  Higher salaries may make it
easier to recruit new interpreters into the public school system and
increase the level of instruction for students with hearing impairments.
House Bill 1438 requires school districts to pay interpreters for the deaf
a minimum salary according to the level of certification the interpreter
possesses. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1438 amends the Education Code to require a school district to
pay a certain minimum annual salary based on the level of interpreter
certification to interpreters for the deaf or hard of hearing (interpreter)
employed by the school district to provide interpreter services on a
10-month contract.  The bill requires a school district to pay an
interpreter employed under a different contract an adjusted salary that
proportionally reflects the days of service and to grant a proportionate
pay raise to interpreters each time professional employees of the district
are granted a raise.  The bill sets forth the minimum annual salary for
levels of certification. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act takes applies beginning with the
2001-2002 school year.