2007
NEARI LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
(Adopted by the NEARI Delegate Assembly on October 26, 2006)

 The philosophies and operating guidelines of the National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI) are expressed in the Continuing Resolutions of the organization, updated yearly with the approval of the annual meeting of the Delegate Assembly. The Resolutions address issues relating to education, collective bargaining, state law and policy, social reform and professional development. The monumental task of translating these Resolutions into a viable legislative program falls to the NEARI Legislative Commission.

 The Commission has two major responsibilities. Each year it reviews the legislative program and recommends possible changes. Also, under the direction of Chairperson Raymond J. Pouliot, NEARI Vice President, the group of 40 member volunteers reviews and decides positions on approximately 400 bills per General Assembly session. According to the Commission’s decisions on proposed legislation, the president, vice president, executive director, governmental relations specialist, and at times other members and staff of the Association lobby extensively to insure that the NEARI legislative goals are realized. Whenever possible, we support legislation to include all NEARI members. The NEARI Delegate Assembly must adopt the Legislative Program prior to its implementation and usually does so at its October / November meeting.

 The Legislative Program is organized into seven major categories to encompass the wide variety of issues that are of importance to NEARI members. NEARI representatives will undertake the following activities depending on the circumstances surrounding each issue:
• Draft legislation
• Work for introduction
• Work for passage
• Work in coalition with other organizations as part of its lobbying efforts
• Monitor legislation

FUNDING / BUDGET
    NEARI supports legislation:
• To increase state funding for quality pre K – 12 public education: i.e. equitable funding formula, minimum amount for regional school districts, and minimum amount for regional vocational schools.
• To increase state funding to an adequate/appropriate level for higher education institutions and other state agencies.
• To shift the reliance of public education funding from property owners to state equitable funding.
• To increase state funding, above and beyond national funding, for a state adult literacy program.
• To remove the full-time equivalent (FTE) hiring cap from the state budget.

EDUCATION REFORM
    NEARI supports legislation:
• To establish lower class sizes as informed by current education research: i.e. pre K – 3 class size of 15 students.
• To establish a state funded method to enhance professional development jointly managed by public school employees and employers.
• To require Department of Education certification for all crisis intervention counselors, substance abuse counselors, student assistant counselors, pregnancy counselors, et. al.
• To establish an Alternate Learning Program for at-risk students at all levels and an increase in the drop-out age to age 17.

SALARY, BENEFITS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS
    NEARI supports legislation:
• To change health standard “recommendations” to “requirements” in order to create a safe workplace environment.
• To increase compensation to teachers, faculty, and support staff for educational degrees, certification and professional licensing.

RETIREMENT
    NEARI supports legislation:
• To safeguard against any tampering with or deferring payment of retirement contributions.
• To maintain the existing cost of living adjustment (COLA).
• To allow teachers at state facilities to purchase out of state credit as can all other members of the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI).
• To increase the state’s contribution to TIAA/CREF and similar plans to the same level as its contribution for state workers to their retirement plan.
• To provide an actuarially sound mechanism for retirees to receive health and dental coverage through the ERSRI.
• To reduce the contribution amount by at least one percent for each member of the ERSRI not vested as of July 2005.
• To insure that pension rights (defined benefits) are protected in statute as property rights.
• To lower the vesting period to five (5) years which would bring Rhode Island into line with most of the other fifty (50) states and make this retroactive to June 2005.
• To allow time purchsed to be credited as part of the ten (10) year vesting requirement for each of the member categories in the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island not vested as of July 2005.
• To revise the pension reforms passed in 2005 by the Rhode Island General Assembly in order to be fair and equitable to all members of ERSRI without diminishing the benefits of those not negatively affected by the July 2005 reforms.

LABOR ISSUES
    NEARI supports legislation:
• To require binding arbitration on all issues, both monetary and non-monetary, when impasse exists in public school pre-K-12 negotiations, municipal employees’ negotiations and state employees’ negotiations.
• To stop municipalities and the state of Rhode Island from privatizing/contracting out any jobs currently performed by public school pre-K-12 employees, municipal employees and state employees.
• To protect the rights of public employees when they are involved in a labor dispute.

HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS
    NEARI supports legislation:
• To provide health care for all Rhode Islanders.
• To provide immunity for all school employees when they report suspected substance abuse.
• To pass a state Equal Rights Amendment
• To promote a set of standards and procedural safeguards protecting teachers’ rights, including academic freedom and tenure.
• To pass a constitutional amendment to provide a quality free public education for all Rhode Islanders pre-K through higher education.
• To allow state and municipal employees and their spouses to seek public office and to remove all legislative and municipal barriers to such.

OTHER RHODE ISLAND ISSUES
    NEARI supports legislation:
• To protect the State of Rhode Island’s natural environment
• To encourage educators, parents, and social service agencies jointly to examine and monitor day care centers for adequate facilities, proper supervision, appropriate education programs, and professional personnel who are qualified, screened, and trained for their areas of responsibility and to seek legislation governing day care center facilities, personnel, and programs.
• Endorsed by coalitions such as One Rhode Island and Working Rhode Island to enhance the quality of life of all the citizens of the State of Rhode Island.
• To oppose the implementation of voter initiative, and support a representative form of government where elected officials make legislative decisions.

2005 Legislative Program