FACCC's Legislative Victories on Behalf of California Community Colleges

FACCC considers all of its bills victories, even those not signed into law, because they have brought important CCC issues to the attention of state legislators and Californians.

KEY: AB = Assembly Bill     SB = Senate Bill    AJR = Assembly Joint Resolution    SJR = Senate Joint Resolution

 

1999-2000

Assembly Bill 821 (Correa) CalSTRS Highest Year Compensation
Provides highest-year compensation for individuals who earn 25 or more years of service credit. This means benefits will be based on the highest year of compensation rather than on the highest (usually last) three consecutive years of compensation. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 1733 (Wildman) CalSTRS Removal of Earnings Limitation
Eliminates the post-retirement earnings cap for retired K-14 instructors, until Jan. 1, 2008, who have not performed any creditable service for at least one year. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 1773 (Romero) Faculty Intellectual Property Rights Protections
Prohibits the unauthorized sale, transfer, distribution or publication - without prior approval of the faculty member - of an instructor’s academic materials and/or classroom presentation. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 1922 (Romero) CCC Faculty Diversity
Requires the community college chancellor to report faculty demographic information as part of the annual state budget hearing process, informing the Legislature of changes in the diversity makeup of faculty and the progress made in meeting district and system-wide goals. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Vetoed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 1933 (Strom-Martin) CalSTRS "Longevity Bonus"
Provides a "Longevity Bonus" which increases a retiree’s monthly allowance in addition to the current Career Bonus. CalSTRS members who accrue at least 30 years service credit by Jan. 1, 2011 (yes, 2011) will qualify for an additional vested cash supplement as follows: 30 years of service (an additional $200/month); 31 years ($300/month); 32 years and more ($400/month). This would be payable for life as an addition to a retiree’s regular monthly pension. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 2337 (Ducheny) Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Fund Deficiency
Includes $2.1 million to cover the deficiency in the state part-time faculty office hours fund. This bill was amended during the last week of session from its original purpose — providing the community college system with an automatic property tax backfill. (Sponsor) Status: $2.1 Million Vetoed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 2383 (Keeley) Part-Time Faculty Health Access and CalSTRS Study
Gives part-time faculty CalSTRS members the right to health coverage under the
PERS healthcare program (PEMHCA), if approved by a local board resolution. The bill also directs CalSTRS to conduct a comprehensive study on faculty active and retiree health benefits. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 2434 (Wildman) Part-Time Faculty Seniority Rights
Provided community college part-time faculty teaching in excess of a 20 percent load, with satisfactory job performance reviews, the right to annual reappointment rights. The bill was held in a second hearing of the Senate Education Committee following a series of amendments. However, several committee members expressed support for working on this issue next year. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Failed Passage, Held in Senate Education Committee

AB 2456 (Wright) CalSTRS Retirement Option Plan
Allows retired faculty, with at least 20 years service credit, to receive a "pre-pay" lump sum payment of up to 15 percent of the total value of their monthly pensions. (Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

AB 2700 (Lempert) CalSTRS Supplemental Account for Excess Earnings
Allows faculty to earn a supplemental benefit for teaching summer school, overload classes, etc., otherwise known as creditable compensation. This benefit would begin July 1, 2002 only if Proposition 98 revenues for school apportionments are increased by more than 3.5 percent. Otherwise, the benefit would begin July 1, 2003. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

Senate Bill 1347 (Vasconcellos) Second Student on CCC Board of Governors
Adds a second student to the California Community College Board of Governors, chosen from a list submitted by the California Student Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC), increasing the total number of board members to 17. While the second student would serve on all board committees, he or she would not have a vote until the second year of the term. Thus, only one student at a time would have an official vote on the board. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

SB 1435 (Johnston) Medicare A Coverage for CalSTRS Retirees
The MediCare Part A supplement (hospital coverage) will be paid for currently retired faculty who have no Part A coverage on their own. Coverage for future retirees will be contingent on an action by the CalSTRS board and local "elections" (in which individuals may choose to participate in MediCare). (Co-Sponsor) Status: Signed by Gov. Gray Davis

SB 1692 (Ortiz) Retroactive CalSTRS Benefits
Allows faculty who retired before 1998 to be eligible for the recently enacted CalSTRS enhancements if they return to teaching and accrue at least one year of additional service credit. (Co-Sponsor) Status: Vetoed by Gov. Gray Davis