By McReynolds                                   H.B. No. 2122

      75R4522 ESH-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to school district teaching permits.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 21.055, Education Code, is amended by

 1-5     amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsections (f)-(i) to read as

 1-6     follows:

 1-7           (e)  A person authorized to teach under this section may not

 1-8     teach in another school district unless that district complies with

 1-9     this section.  Except as provided by Subsection (h), a [A] school

1-10     district teaching permit is [remains] valid for one  year [unless

1-11     the district issuing the permit revokes it for cause].  A school

1-12     district may not issue a person more than one school  district

1-13     teaching permit.

1-14           (f)  A person employed under this section is subject to the

1-15     code of ethics proposed by the board under Section 21.041(b)(8).

1-16           (g)  A person who holds or has held a school district

1-17     teaching permit may obtain a teaching certificate issued under

1-18     rules proposed under Section 21.041(b)(10).

1-19           (h)  A school district may revoke a school district teaching

1-20     permit for cause.  A district shall notify the commissioner in

1-21     writing of a revocation under this subsection not later than the

1-22     10th day after the date of the revocation.

1-23           (i)  A person whose school district teaching permit is

1-24     revoked for a violation of the code of ethics is not eligible for a

 2-1     school district teaching permit issued by another district or a

 2-2     teaching certificate issued under rules proposed under Section

 2-3     21.041(b)(10).  The commissioner shall determine whether a person

 2-4     is ineligible under this subsection.

 2-5           SECTION 2.  Section 21.041(b), Education Code, is amended to

 2-6     read as follows:

 2-7           (b)  The board shall propose rules that:

 2-8                 (1)  provide for the regulation of educators and the

 2-9     general administration of this subchapter in a manner consistent

2-10     with this subchapter;

2-11                 (2)  specify the classes of educator certificates to be

2-12     issued, including emergency certificates;

2-13                 (3)  specify the period for which each class of

2-14     educator certificate is valid;

2-15                 (4)  specify the requirements for the issuance and

2-16     renewal of an educator certificate;

2-17                 (5)  provide for the issuance of an educator

2-18     certificate to a person who holds a similar certificate issued by

2-19     another state or foreign country, subject to Section 21.052;

2-20                 (6)  provide for special or restricted certification of

2-21     educators, including certification of instructors of American Sign

2-22     Language;

2-23                 (7)  provide for disciplinary proceedings, including

2-24     the suspension or revocation of an educator certificate, as

2-25     provided by Chapter 2001, Government Code;

2-26                 (8)  provide for the adoption, amendment, and

2-27     enforcement of an educator's code of ethics;

 3-1                 (9)  provide for  continuing  education  requirements;

 3-2     and

 3-3                 (10)  provide for certification of persons employed by

 3-4     school districts under Section 21.055 [performing appraisals under

 3-5     Subchapter H].

 3-6           SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998

 3-7     school year.

 3-8           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

3-13     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

3-14     passage, and it is so enacted.