HB 2274 — Adopts the "Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact"

SECOND REGULAR SESSION [PERFECTED] HOUSE BILL NO.

4545H.01I4545H.01P JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk AN ACT To amend chapter 168, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to the interstate teacher mobility compact.

(d) Enhance the power of state and district level education officials to hire qualified, competent teachers by removing barriers to the employment of out-of-state teachers;

HB 2274 2 (e)(d) SupportEnhance the retentionpower of teachersstate inand thedistrict professionlevel education officials to hire qualified, competent teachers by removing barriers to relicensurethe inemployment aof newout-of-state state;teachers;

(e) Support the retention of teachers in the profession by removing barriers to relicensure in a new state;

HB 2274 3 (11) "Licensing authority", an official, agency, board, or other entity of a state that is responsible for the licensing and regulation of teachers authorized to teach in P- 12 public educational settings;

HB 2274 3 (12) "Member state", any state that has adopted this compact, including all agencies and officials of such a state;

Such a determination shall be made in the sole discretion of the receiving state's licensing authority and may include a determination that the HB 2274 4 applicant is not eligible for any of the receiving state's eligible licenses.

For all teachers who hold an unencumbered license, the receiving state shall grant one or more HB 2274 4 unencumbered licenses that, in the receiving state's sole discretion, are equivalent to the licenses held by the teacher in any other member state.

(3)(3)For For the purposes of determining compensation, a receiving state may require additional information from teachers receiving a license under the provisions of this compact.

HB 2274 5 (b) Participate in the exchange of names of teachers whose license has been subject to an adverse action by a member state;

or HB 2274 5 (c) Participate in any agreement or cooperative arrangement with a nonmember state.

(a)The(a) The commission is a joint interstate governmental agency composed of states that have enacted the interstate teacher mobility compact;

HB 2274 6 (b) The commissioner shall be the primary administrative officer of the state licensing authority or their designee;

HB 2274 6 (c) Any commissioner may be removed or suspended from office as provided by the law of the state from which the commissioner is appointed;

HB 2274 7 (j) Hire employees, elect or appoint officers, fix compensation, define duties, grant such individuals appropriate authority to carry out the purposes of the compact, HB 2274 7 and establish the commission's personnel policies and programs relating to conflicts of interest, qualifications of personnel, and other related personnel matters;

and (t)(t)Determine Determine whether a state's adopted language is materially different from the model compact language such that the state would not qualify for participation in the compact.

HB 2274 8 (c) The commission may add or remove members of the executive committee as provided in commission rules.

HB 2274 8 (d) The executive committee shall meet at least once annually.

(viii)Disclosure(viii) Disclosure of investigative records compiled for law enforcement purposes;

HB 2274 9 (x) Matters specifically exempted from disclosure by federal or member state statute;

HB 2274 9 c.

(i) The members, officers, executive director, employees, and representatives of the commission shall be immune from suit and liability, either personally or in their official capacity, for any claim for damage to or loss of property or personal injury or other civil liability caused by or arising out of any actual or alleged act, error, or HB 2274 10 omission that occurred, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties or responsibilities.

HB 2274 10 (ii) Nothing in item (i) of this subparagraph shall be construed to protect any such person from suit or liability for any damage, loss, injury, or liability caused by the intentional or willful or wanton misconduct of that person;

(iii)(iii)Item Item (i) of this subparagraph shall apply only if the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from that person's intentional or willful or wanton misconduct;

(3) If a majority of the legislatures of the member states rejects a rule, by enactment of a statute or resolution in the same manner used to adopt the compact HB 2274 11 within four years of the date of adoption of the rule, such rule shall have no further force and effect in any member state;

HB 2274 11 (4) Rules or amendments to the rules shall be adopted or ratified at a regular or special meeting of the commission in accordance with commission rules and bylaws;

Nothing in this section shall affect or limit the selection HB 2274 12 or propriety of venue in any action against a licensee for professional malpractice, misconduct, or any such similar matter;

HB 2274 12 (c) All courts and all administrative agencies shall take judicial notice of the compact, the rules of the commission, and any information provided to a member state pursuant thereto in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding in a member state pertaining to the subject matter of this compact, or which may affect the powers, responsibilities, or actions of the commission;

HB 2274 13 (e) The commission shall not bear any costs related to a state that is found to be in default or that has been terminated from the compact, unless agreed upon in writing between the commission and the defaulting state;

and HB 2274 13 (f) The defaulting state may appeal the action of the commission by petitioning the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the federal district where the commission has its principal offices.

and (d) Member states enacting the compact subsequent to the charter member states shall be subject to the process set forth in paragraph (t) of subdivision (3) of subsection 7 of this section to determine if their enactments are materially different HB 2274 14 from the model compact statute and whether they qualify for participation in the compact.

HB 2274 14 (2) If any member state is later found to be in default, or is terminated or withdraws from the compact, the commission shall remain in existence and the compact shall remain in effect even if the number of member states should be fewer than ten.