SB 2482 — Teacher and administrator licenses; clarify grounds for disciplinary action and reinstatement.

SB2482 (As(COMMITTEE Introduced)SUBSTITUTE) - 2019 Regular Session MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE Regular Session To:

Senator(s) Tollison Senate Bill 2482 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE) AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-3-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION ON TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE AND DEVELOPMENT, TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHER CANDIDATES TO ENTER THE STANDARD LICENSE APPROVED PROGRAM ROUTE AND NONTRADITIONAL TEACHING ROUTE, TO REVISE CERTAIN COMPONENTS OF THE TEACH MISSISSIPPI INSTITUTE (TMI), TO CLARIFY PROCEDURES FOR APPEAL OF EDUCATOR LICENSURE DECISIONS BY THE COMMISSION OR ITS HEARING OFFICER, TO REVISE THE GROUNDS FOR DENIAL OF EDUCATOR LICENSURE APPLICATIONS AND TO PROVIDE AUTHORITY FOR LICENSURE PROBATION, TO CLARIFY GROUNDS FOR EDUCATOR LICENSURE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION AND TO CLARIFY PROCEDURES FOR EDUCATOR LICENSURE REINSTATEMENT FOLLOWING SUSPENSION;

          (h)  The applicant has been convicted, has pled guilty or entered a plea of nolo contendere to a sex offense as defined by federal or state law, shall result in immediate denial of licensure application. application or immediate revocation of current license.  For purposes of this paragraph (h) and paragraph (g) of this subsection, a "guilty plea" includes a plea of guilty, entry of a plea of nolo contendere, or entry of an order granting pretrial or judicial diversion; * * * or           (i)  Probation or post-release supervision for a felony or * * * sex offense conviction, as defined by federal or state law, shall result in the immediate denial of licensure application until expiration of the probationary or post-release supervision period * * *.;

or           (j)  Probation or post-release supervision for a sex offenceoffense conviction, as defined by federal or state law, shall result in immediate denial of licensure application.application, or immediate revocation of current license.

                   (c)  A person may voluntarily surrender a license.  The surrender of such license may result in the commission recommending any of the above penalties without the necessity of a hearing.  However, any such license which has voluntarily been surrendered by a licensed employee may only be reinstated by a majority vote of all members of the commission present at the meeting called for such purpose.