A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPROVE THE SALARIES OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND PHYSICAL THERAPISTS WHO ARE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. SALARIES OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
SECTION 1.(a)  Notwithstanding the section in the Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act regarding Noncertified Personnel Salaries, therapists who are public school employees shall receive a monthly salary for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year based on the salary schedule for teachers who are classified as "A" teachers plus an additional percentage to be determined as follows:
(1)	For therapists with between zero and nine years of experience, thirty‑five percent (35%).
(2)	For therapists with between 10 and 19 years of experience, forty percent (40%).
(3)	For therapists with 20 years of experience or more, forty‑five percent (45%).
SECTION 1.(b)  As used in this section, the term "therapist" means occupational therapist or physical therapist.
SECTION 1.(c)  Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, occupational therapists and physical therapists who are public school employees and were compensated in the 2016‑2017 school year shall receive at least as much State funding toward their compensation as they would have received in the 2016‑2017 school year.

PART II. APPROPRIATION
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) in recurring funds to be deposited in the allotments currently supporting occupational therapists and physical therapists who are public school employees in order to implement the provisions of this act.

PART III. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2017.