Texas lawmaker files bill to raise minimum teacher salary to $70,000

AUSTIN, Texas (KOSA) - State Representative James Talarico (D-Round Rock) has filed a bill to help support teachers across Texas.
House Bill 3580 would raise the minimum salary for teachers to $70,000 a year.
Rep. Talarico explained his reasoning for the bill in a series of Tweets.
“When I was a public school teacher, I struggled to make ends meet. My coworkers drove Ubers at night and sold their blood plasma for extra money. Today I filed a bill mandating a minimum salary of $70,000 for every teacher in Texas. #txlege”
“Our teachers have endured a global pandemic, an economic collapse, and a deadly winter storm. They held our communities together through these historic crises. Teachers had our backs. Now we must have theirs.”
Rep. Talarico says he chose $70,000 because “Research indicates a $70,000 - $75,000 salary is the baseline income needed for emotional well-being.”
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