By Martinez Fischer                                   H.B. No. 1721
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certification examinations for educators outside the
 1-3     state.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 21.048, Education Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending Subsection (a) to read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  The board shall propose rules providing comprehensive
 1-8     examinations for each class of certificate issued by the board,
 1-9     except as provided by Section 21.052 as it applies to educators
1-10     certified by another state.
1-11           SECTION 2.  Section 21.052, Education Code, is amended by
1-12     amending Subsection (a) to read as follows:
1-13           (a)  The board may issue a certificate to an educator who:
1-14                 (1)  holds:
1-15                       (A)  a degree issued by an institution accredited
1-16     by a regional accrediting agency or group that is recognized by a
1-17     nationally recognized accreditation board; or
1-18                       (B)  a degree issued by an institution located in
1-19     a foreign county, if the degree is equivalent to a degree described
1-20     by Paragraph (A); and
1-21                 (2)  holds:
1-22                       (A)  an appropriate certificate or other
 2-1     credential issued by another [state or country, and]
 2-2                 [(3)]  performs satisfactorily on the examination
 2-3     prescribed under Section 21.048; or
 2-4                       (B)  an appropriate certificate or other
 2-5     credential issued by another state, provided that the certificate
 2-6     issued by the originating state was issued for the same academic
 2-7     specialization in which the educator is seeking to teach.
 2-8           (b)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), a person is
 2-9     considered to hold a certificate or other credential if the
2-10     credential is not valid solely because it has expired.
2-11           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect  immediately if it receives
2-12     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-13     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-14     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-15     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.