House to take up 5 bills filed by Teachers Association

Puerto Rico Teachers Association President Víctor Manuel Bonilla Sánchez

By The Star Staff

Puerto Rico Teachers Association (AMPR by its initials in Spanish) President Víctor Manuel Bonilla Sánchez announced Wednesday that the Speaker of the House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez formally accepted five legislative bills filed at the request of the organization, as part of the agenda to improve the conditions of teachers and strengthen public education.

“Our organization has proposed concrete solutions to meet the real needs of those who have dedicated and continue to dedicate their lives to education,” Bonilla Sánchez said in a written statement. “These bills are an act of justice toward our active and retired educators. We thank the president of the chamber, Carlos “Johnny” Méndez, for his openness from the first moment we presented our proposals and his support so that their viability can be analyzed.”

Among the measures filed is House Bill (HB) 616, which seeks to repeal the Teaching Career Law and establish a salary scale system based on academic preparation, eliminating bureaucracy and subjective evaluations. HB 619 was also presented, which proposes a salary scale for years of service, guaranteeing equity in the remuneration of teachers in the public system.

For retired teachers, HB 617 was filed, which grants a Christmas bonus of $600. HB 618 increases pensions by $500 a month and includes a 3% increase every three years. HB 620 reestablishes the employer’s contribution to the health plan and a contribution-free drug bonus.

The AMPR president said the filing of the measures is only the beginning of the fight to achieve their legislative approval. The organization is arranging meetings with representatives of all delegations, senators, Gov. Jenniffer González Colón and the Financial Oversight and Management Board to identify the necessary funds, he added.