HB 1338 -- TEACHER LICENSES

SPONSOR:  Relford

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Education-Elementary and Secondary by a vote of 19 to 0.

This bill makes several changes to the process by which teachers'
licenses may be denied or disciplinary action imposed on a
certificate of license holder.  The bill adds deception in
obtaining a license and disciplinary action on an existing
license from another jurisdiction 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.  Under current law, the Attorney
General may file charges for financially distressed districts;
the bill removes the requirement that the district be financially
stressed, but specifies that the Attorney General will not file
charges for annulment of contracts.  The bill clarifies that the
State Board of Education as well as the school district may file
certain 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 State
Board may refuse to issue or renew a license or may suspend or
revoke a license of a person who has surrendered his or her
license or has failed to renew it, for any of the grounds
mentioned in the bill.  The bill also contains several technical
changes, primarily in notification procedures.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill fills in gaps that
currently exist in license discipline procedures, such as license
actions in another state.  The bill preserves due process for
those whose licenses may come under review.  No district should
forego license actions because it cannot afford an attorney, so
the requirement that a district be financially stressed before
the Attorney General handles the license action has been removed.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Relford; General
Counsel, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education;
Governor's Office; Missouri School Board Association; Missouri
School Administrators Coalition; Missouri State Teachers
Association; Missouri Federation of Teachers; Missouri National
Education Association; and Attorney General's Office.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Becky DeNeve, Senior Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated October 11, 2002 at 9:01 am