HSB 684 (LSB 6166YC (3) 89)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON HITE)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to licenses issued by the board of educational examiners to teachers licensed out of state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 272.2, subsection 17, Code 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   17.  Adopt rules to require that a background investigation be conducted by the division of criminal investigation of the department of public safety on all initial applicants for licensure, and all applicants under subsection 27. The board shall also require all initial applicants and all applicants under subsection 27 to submit a completed fingerprint packet and shall use the packet to facilitate a national criminal history background check. The board shall have access to, and shall review the sex offender registry information under section 692A.121 available to the general public, information in the Iowa court information system available to the general public, the central registry for child abuse information established under chapter 235A, and the dependent adult abuse records maintained under chapter 235B for information regarding applicants for license renewal.
    Sec. 2.  Section 272.2, Code 2022, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  27.  Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A requiring the board to issue a teaching license with the applicable endorsements to an applicant who is licensed as a teacher in another state, whose license is in good standing, and who has been working as a teacher in that state for the past three consecutive years, that allows the applicant to teach the same grade levels and subjects the applicant is licensed to teach in the other state. This subsection does not require that a school district or an accredited nonpublic school has offered a teaching contract to the applicant.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to licenses issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE) to teachers licensed out of state.
   The bill requires the BOEE to issue a teaching license with the applicable endorsements to an applicant who is licensed as a teacher in another state, whose license is in good standing, and who has been working as a teacher in that state for the past three consecutive years, that allows the applicant to teach the same grade levels and subjects the applicant is licensed to teach in the other state. The bill provides that the applicant is not required to have been offered a teaching contract by a school district or an accredited nonpublic school. 
   The bill establishes that applicants for these licenses are subject to the requirements related to background investigations, the submission of fingerprint packets, and criminal history searches applicable to all initial applicants for licensure.