BILL SEEKS TO CUT BACK PAY FOR SCHOOL WORKERS IN DRUG REHAB.Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer PALMDALE - State Sen. George Runner George C. Runner, Jr. (born March 25 1952 in Scotia, New York) is a Republican California State Senator, who represents the 17th Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County and Ventura County. has proposed changing state law so that public school workers who plead guilty to drug charges but complete a drug treatment program do not qualify for back pay for the time they are off work. Runner, R-Lancaster, introduced Senate Bill 1185 at the urging of Palmdale School District The Palmdale School District is a school district that serves a major part of the city of Palmdale, California (USA). The Palmdale School District was first formed in 1888. Approximately 28,000 students are enrolled in the Palmdale School District. officials, who last fall had to pay approximately $20,000 to a part-time nonteaching employee who spent nearly two years off work after a drug arrest. ``To me it's ludicrous we allow this to perpetuate in our system,'' Palmdale school board President Sheldon Epstein said. Sponsored by the Palmdale School District and the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Office of Education, the bill would close a loophole An omission or Ambiguity in a legal document that allows the intent of the document to be evaded. Loopholes come into being through the passage of statutes, the enactment of regulations, the drafting of contracts or the decisions of courts. that allows school employees who are arrested as first-time drug offenders to collect back pay if they complete a treatment program. A 25-year-old state law says school employees who are put on compulsory leave after an arrest get back pay and their job back if criminal charges are dropped, or if they are acquitted. In drug diversion In the terminology of the Drug Enforcement Administration, diversion is the use of prescription drugs for recreational purposes. The term comes from the "diverting" of the drugs from their original purposes. cases, California courts have held in two separate rulings that even though the worker has pleaded guilty, there is no official conviction after their criminal record is expunged at the completion of the diversion program A diversion program in the criminal justice system is a program run by a district attorney's office designed to enable offenders of criminal law (usually minor offenses) to avoid criminal charges [1][2]. , Runner said. ``Any school employee caught abusing drugs who decides to avoid a conviction by admitting guilt and enter into a drug diversion program should not be rewarded by collecting back-pay,'' Runner said. Palmdale school officials first learned of the law when they made the payout to the employee last fall, said Roger Gallizzi, assistant superintendent Assistant Superintendent, or Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was a rank used by police forces in the British Empire. It was usually the lowest rank that could be held by a European officer, most of whom joined the police at this rank. of personnel. But the district may have to pay more, because two or three other employees are also in drug diversion programs. ``They're entitled to go back to their job and to back pay,'' Gallizzi said, adding that the district has already paid substitutes to do their work while the employees were gone. School district officials said they are legally prohibited from naming the employees. Gallizzi wrote to Runner's office asking for help changing the law. ``We are very, very pleased,'' Gallizzi said of Runner's legislation. Charles F. Bostwick, (661) 267-5742 chuck.bostwick(at)dailynews.com |
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