1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; allowing teachers a two-year 
  1.3             leave of absence to teach in a charter school; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 124D.10, 
  1.5             subdivision 20.  
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 124D.10, 
  1.8   subdivision 20, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 20.  [LEAVE TO TEACH IN A CHARTER SCHOOL.] If a 
  1.10  teacher employed by a district makes a written request for an 
  1.11  extended a two-year leave of absence to teach at a charter 
  1.12  school, the district must grant the leave.  The district must 
  1.13  grant a leave for any number of years requested by the teacher, 
  1.14  and must extend the leave at the teacher's request.  The 
  1.15  district may require that the request for a leave or extension 
  1.16  of leave be made up to 90 days before the teacher would 
  1.17  otherwise have to report for duty.  Except as otherwise provided 
  1.18  in this subdivision and except for section 122A.46, subdivision 
  1.19  subdivisions 2 requiring that a leave be at least three but no 
  1.20  more than five years, and 7, the leave is governed by section 
  1.21  122A.46, including, but not limited to, reinstatement, notice of 
  1.22  intention to return, seniority, salary, and insurance. 
  1.23     During a leave, the teacher may continue to aggregate 
  1.24  benefits and credits in the teachers' retirement association 
  1.25  account by paying both the employer and employee contributions 
  2.1   based upon the annual salary of the teacher for the last full 
  2.2   pay period before the leave began.  The retirement association 
  2.3   may impose reasonable requirements to efficiently administer 
  2.4   this subdivision.  
  2.5      <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective for the 
  2.6   2003-2004 school year and later.