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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to public school personnel; creating s.

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1012.221, F.S.; requiring minimum beginning and average

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teacher salaries to be no less than the national average

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by the 2010-2011 school year; providing requirements for

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salary increases and responsibility for payment thereof;

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providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Section 1012.221, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     1012.221 Minimum salaries for public school teachers.--

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     (1) By the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year:

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     (a) The beginning salary for full-time public school

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teachers shall be no less than the national average beginning

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salary for full-time public school teachers as determined by the

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United States Department of Education.

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     (b) The average salary for full-time public school teachers

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shall be no less than the national average salary for full-time

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public school teachers as determined by the United States

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Department of Education.

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     (2) Increases in the beginning and the average full-time

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public school teacher salaries shall be independent of employee

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benefits and shall not alter, jeopardize, or decrease existing

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employee benefits. Payment of the costs associated with

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increasing beginning and average teacher salaries is the

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responsibility of the state and not of school districts. Nothing

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in this section shall impair collective bargaining.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.