HB 81 -- Teachers and School Employees

Co-Sponsors:  Relford, Ransdall, Davis, Seigfreid

This bill makes numerous changes to the process by which
teachers' licenses may be revoked, suspended, or denied and
requires that certain noncertificated employees undergo a
background check.

In changes to existing law, the bill adds the requirement of a
successfully completed background check to the requirements for
licensure.  In revising the revocation/denial procedure, the
bill adds deception in obtaining a license or revocation of
existing license from another jurisdiction and violation of
professional trust to the grounds for discretionary revocation
or denial of license.  The bill adds furnishing child
pornography to a minor to the list of offenses that require
license revocation.  The bill clarifies that the State Board of
Education as well as the school district may file licensure
charges, that cases may be settled informally by agreements or
voluntary surrender of license, and that licensure decisions are
subject to judicial review.

The bill adds new sections that require a national criminal
history background check for pupil contact individuals and
defines that term.  District employees and school board members
who have direct knowledge of charges or convictions of any
certificate holder that would result in license revocation or
denial are required to report them to the superintendent, who
must then notify the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education.  Indemnity provisions for employees who make such
disclosures are set out.  Failure to report is a class A
misdemeanor.

The bill also adds sections that document the existence of
attorney-client and work-product privilege of the department and
that prohibit the disclosure of test scores, investigatory
reports, and similar information concerning applicants or
certificate holders except with written consent of the person
whose records are involved or of the district where the person
works or worked at the time of the incident that prompted the
investigation.  The person's address and licensure status are
not confidential.  A section outlining the subpoena powers of
the department is added.  The bill contains several technical
changes, primarily in notification procedures.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated September 13, 2001 at 2:00 pm