1-1     By:  Martinez Fischer, Menendez                       H.B. No. 1721
 1-2          (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte)
 1-3           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2001;
 1-4     May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-5     Education; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-6     Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to certification examinations for educators certified in
1-10     other jurisdictions.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1. Section 21.052(a), Education Code, is amended to
1-13     read as follows:
1-14           (a)  The board may issue a certificate to an educator who:
1-15                 (1)  holds:
1-16                       (A)  a degree issued by an institution accredited
1-17     by a regional accrediting agency or group that is recognized by a
1-18     nationally recognized accreditation board; or
1-19                       (B)  a degree issued by an institution located in
1-20     a foreign country, if the degree is equivalent to a degree
1-21     described by Paragraph (A);
1-22                 (2)  holds an appropriate certificate or other
1-23     credential issued by another state or country; and
1-24                 (3)  performs satisfactorily on:
1-25                       (A)  the examination prescribed under Section
1-26     21.048; or
1-27                       (B)  if the educator holds a certificate or other
1-28     credential issued by another state or country, an examination
1-29     similar to and at least as rigorous as that described by Paragraph
1-30     (A) administered to the educator under the authority of that state.
1-31           SECTION 2.  Section 21.052(a), Education Code, as amended by
1-32     this Act, applies only to a certificate issued under Section
1-33     21.052, Education Code, on or after the effective date of this Act.
1-34     A certificate issued under Section 21.052, Education Code, before
1-35     the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
1-36     the date the certificate is issued, and the former law is continued
1-37     in effect for that purpose.
1-38           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-39     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-40     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-41     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-42     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-43                                  * * * * *