H.B. No. 621
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to creating a temporary certification to teach career and
  technology education for certain military service members and first
  responders.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.0444 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.0444.  TEMPORARY CERTIFICATION FOR CERTAIN MILITARY
  SERVICE MEMBERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. (a)  In this section, "first
  responder" means a person elected, employed, or appointed as:
               (1)  a peace officer as defined by Article 2.12, Code of
  Criminal Procedure;
               (2)  fire protection personnel as defined by Section
  419.021, Government Code; or
               (3)  emergency medical services personnel as defined by
  Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code.
         (b)  This section applies to a person seeking certification
  to teach career and technology education who:
               (1)  has served in the armed forces of the United States
  and was honorably discharged, retired, or released from active
  duty; or
               (2)  has served as a first responder and, while in good
  standing and not because of pending or final disciplinary actions
  or a documented performance problem, retired, resigned, or
  separated from employment as a first responder.
         (c)  The board shall propose rules under this subchapter
  providing for the issuance of a temporary certificate to teach
  career and technology education to a person described by Subsection
  (b) who meets all other eligibility requirements for standard
  certification to teach career and technology education, except that
  the person may substitute for a requirement that the person hold:
               (1)  an associate degree from an accredited institution
  of higher education, 48 months of active duty military service or
  service as a first responder; or
               (2)  a bachelor's degree:
                     (A)  the military service or service as a first
  responder described by Subdivision (1); and
                     (B)  60 semester credit hours completed at a
  public or private institution of higher education with a minimum
  grade point average of at least 2.50 on a four-point scale.
         (d)  Rules proposed by the board for a temporary certificate
  issued under this section must provide that the certificate is:
               (1)  valid for no more than three years;
               (2)  limited to a one-time issuance; and
               (3)  not subject to renewal.
         (e)  A person issued a temporary certificate under this
  section may be issued a standard certificate if the person
  completes all eligibility requirements required for that
  certification.
         (f)  A school district shall require a new employee who holds
  a temporary certificate issued under this section to obtain at
  least 20 hours of classroom management training, unless the new
  employee has documented experience as an instructor or trainer
  during the employee's required 48 months of active duty military
  service or service as a first responder.
         SECTION 2.  Section 21.458, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-2) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (a-2), each [Each]
  school district may assign a mentor teacher to each classroom
  teacher who has less than two years of teaching experience in the
  subject or grade level to which the teacher is assigned.  A teacher
  assigned as a mentor must:
               (1)  to the extent practicable, teach in the same
  school;
               (2)  to the extent practicable, teach the same subject
  or grade level, as applicable; and
               (3)  meet the qualifications prescribed by
  commissioner rules adopted under Subsection (b).
         (a-2)  A school district shall assign a mentor teacher to a
  classroom teacher who has been issued a temporary certificate to
  teach career and technology education under Section 21.0444 for at
  least two school years.
         SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the State Board for Educator Certification shall
  propose rules relating to temporary certificates to teach career
  and technology education for certain military service members and
  first responders as required by Section 21.0444, Education Code, as
  added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 621 was passed by the House on May 2,
  2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 107, Nays 34, 2 present, not
  voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
  H.B. No. 621 on May 23, 2023, and requested the appointment of a
  conference committee to consider the differences between the two
  houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
  on H.B. No. 621 on May 28, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 113,
  Nays 25, 2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 621 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 16, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 23, Nays
  8; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
  committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
  that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
  621 on May 28, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 23, Nays 8.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor