State Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Litchfield)
State Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Litchfield)
State Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Litchfield) recently supported a bill that allows for education paraprofessionals to retain their standing if they are let go and hired back within one year.
House Bill 921, sponsored by Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Collinsville), provides that paraprofessionals who are dismissed by the school board to decrease the number of educational support personnel, but are then hired back within the school year, can retain their seniority and benefits.
"I voted No in committee but now I’m inclined to vote Yes," Bourne said on the House floor Wednesday.
Bourne asked for confirmation that this was already something afforded to teachers, which Stuart confirmed.
"Schools have finite resources and this protects employees from being fired after 20 years of services and then rehired the next year as a first-year employee," Bourne said. "There are concerns with finite resources but I'm urging an Aye vote. I think this is the right thing to do for school districts."
The bill eventually passed with 106 Yes votes and nine No votes.
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