Teaching and Licensing Bills
Prepared by: Keith Clock
Phone: 317-407-7885
E-mail: kclock@ista-in.org
Report created on March 29, 2024
 
HB1006MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS. (KIRCHHOFER C) Requires the secretary of family and social services to provide that residences for residential care and supported housing for chronic addiction that receive reimbursement when used as a recovery residence to be certified and meet standards determined by the division of mental health addiction through administrative rules. Adds, subject to the approval of the Indiana commission to combat drug abuse (commission), an individual who is: (1) less than 18 years of age; and (2) a defendant whose case is either waived from juvenile court to adult court or directly filed in adult court; to the individuals who may be eligible for mental health and addiction forensic treatment services. Provides that a child welfare program may be established for the purpose of providing child welfare substance abuse treatment services for families and children who have an open child welfare or delinquency case with the juvenile court. Requires that information and training concerning child welfare substance abuse treatment services be provided to certain judges, department of child services employees, and public defenders. Includes neonatal abstinence syndrome as a factor for a child to be determined a child in need of services. Urges the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on corrections and criminal code the topic of extending mental health and addiction forensic treatment services to individuals in the criminal justice system: (1) who: (A) are charged with a misdemeanor offense; or (B) have a prior misdemeanor conviction; and (2) who have been placed in or are eligible for placement in a pretrial services program, a community corrections program, a prosecuting attorney's diversion program, or jail. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the interim study committee on public health, behavioral health, and human services).
 Current Status:   4/28/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   4/21/2017 - Conference Committee Report Adopted (H) Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 533: yeas 97, nays 0; Rules Suspended
4/21/2017 - Conference Committee Report Adopted (S) Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 517: yeas 49, nays 0; Rules Suspended
 State Bill Page:   HB1006
 
HB1079SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT AND TEACHER LICENSURE. (THOMPSON J) Amends the time by which a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school must conduct expanded criminal history checks for applicants for employment. Requires a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school to conduct an expanded child protection index check concerning each applicant for employment before or not later than 60 days after the applicant's employment. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school shall require an expanded criminal history check on each employee every five years. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school may implement the requirement for updated background checks for current employees over a five year period. Provides that an applicant is responsible for all costs associated with obtaining the expanded criminal history check and expanded child protection index check unless the school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school agrees to pay the costs. Provides that an employee of a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school may not be required to pay the costs of an expanded child protection index check. Makes an exception to the provision that an applicant or employee may not be required to obtain an expanded criminal history check more than one time during a five year period. Requires each school corporation, charter school, and nonpublic school with one or more employees to adopt a policy requiring the school employer of the school corporation or charter school to contact references and, if applicable, the most recent employer provided by a prospective employee, before the school corporation or charter school may hire the prospective employee. Prohibits a school from hiring persons who have been convicted of certain crimes. Adds human trafficking to the list of offenses requiring license revocation. Permits the department of education (department) to reinstate the license of a person convicted of certain crimes if the conviction is reversed, vacated, or set aside on appeal. Requires the division of state court administration to weekly transmit a list of persons convicted of specified crimes to the department, and requires the department to: (1) compare this list with the department's list of licensed employees; and (2) revoke the license of a licensed employee who has been convicted of a specified offense. Provides that a presentence investigation includes gathering information with respect to whether the convicted defendant holds a teaching license or is a teacher. Provides that a superintendent (in addition to a principal under current law) may initiate the cancellation of a teacher's contract by providing notice to the teacher of the superintendent's preliminary decision.
 Current Status:   4/26/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   4/21/2017 - Signed by the President Pro Tempore
4/21/2017 - Signed by the Speaker
 State Bill Page:   HB1079
 
HB1396TEACHER LICENSING FOR MILITARY SPOUSES. (MCNAMARA W) Requires the state board of education to adopt rules, including emergency rules, that establish procedures to expedite the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a teacher license to a military spouse whose husband or wife is assigned to a duty station in Indiana. (Current law allows, but does not require, the state board to adopt such rules.)
 Current Status:   3/29/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   3/23/2017 - Signed by the President Pro Tempore
3/23/2017 - Signed by the Speaker
 State Bill Page:   HB1396
 
HB1449TEACHER INDUCTION PILOT PROGRAM. (DEVON D) Makes changes to who may submit a plan to participate in the career pathways and mentorship program. Establishes the Indiana new educator induction program (program) to give new teachers, principals, and administrators mentoring support. Provides that grants for the program may be made from the system for teacher and student advancement grant fund. Provides that, not later than July 1, 2018, and each July thereafter, the state board of education shall submit a report to the governor and the general assembly regarding the status of the program. Establishes the Indiana educator residency pilot program. Urges the legislative council to assign to the education interim study committee for study during the 2017 legislative interim the topic of teacher residency programs. Urges the legislative council to assign to the education interim study committee for study during the 2017 legislative interim the topic of new teacher induction programs.
 Current Status:   4/24/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   4/20/2017 - Signed by the President Pro Tempore
4/19/2017 - Signed by the Speaker
 State Bill Page:   HB1449
 
HB1644STUDY OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS ISSUES. (SUMMERS V) Urges the legislative council to assign to the appropriate study committee issues concerning: (1) the need to license individuals who practice applied behavior analysis; (2) independent centers that provide applied behavior analysis and the oversight that they receive to ensure their practices are current and fall under best practices and guidelines; and (3) the appropriate training and curriculum for teachers of students who attend kindergarten through grade 12 and receive special education services.
 Current Status:   4/12/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   3/28/2017 - Returned to the House without amendments
3/27/2017 - Senator Stoops added as cosponsor
 State Bill Page:   HB1644
 
SB355CHILD ABUSE EDUCATION AND POLICIES. (MESSMER M) Requires, not later than July 1, 2018, the department of education (department) to make available model educational materials and model response policies and reporting procedures concerning child abuse and child sexual abuse to assist schools with the implementation of: (1) child abuse and child sexual abuse education programs in kindergarten through grade 12; and (2) child abuse and child sexual abuse response and reporting policies. (Current law requires the department to make available the model educational materials and model response policies and reporting procedures concerning child abuse and child sexual abuse to assist schools with the implementation of: (1) child abuse and child sexual abuse education programs in grades 2 through 5; and (2) child abuse and child sexual abuse response and reporting policies.) Requires that the: (1) materials and guidelines provided to assist a safe school committee in developing a plan and policy for a school include the model educational materials and the model response policies and reporting procedures; and (2) plan and policy developed by the safe school committee; must address the issues of child abuse and child sexual abuse. Requires the child abuse and child sexual abuse response and reporting policies to include information on the duty to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Beginning in 2018, requires, not later than December 15 of each year, a public school, including a charter school and an accredited nonpublic school, to provide age appropriate and research and evidence based instruction on child abuse and child sexual abuse to students in kindergarten through grade 12. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school that employs one or more employees may not establish a policy that restricts or delays the duty of an employee or individual to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Provides that the legislative council is urged to assign to the education interim study committee during the 2017 legislative interim the topic of teacher training requirements regarding student behavior and health issues.
 Current Status:   4/21/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   4/19/2017 - Signed by the Speaker
4/13/2017 - Signed by the President Pro Tempore
 State Bill Page:   SB355
 
SB447CHILD SERVICES. (MERRITT J) Requires child abuse and neglect training for school employees. Allows the department of child services (department) to share costs incurred in maintaining the new hire directory in accordance with federal law with the department of workforce development. Adds a definition of "concurrent planning". Adds a definition of "nonwaivable offense" and makes conforming changes. Allows the department to pay the criminal background check fee in certain adoption cases. Prohibits the department from charging a fee for state tax offsets. Amends provisions concerning restricted driving licenses. Provides that the department may not grant a variance or waiver of a rule to an applicant for a: (1) child care institution; (2) foster family home; (3) group home; or (4) child placing agency; license if the applicant has been convicted of certain felonies. Requires that a criminal history check be conducted on all members of the household of an applicant for a foster family home license. (Current law requires a criminal history check of household members 14 years of age or older.) Amends provisions governing sharing of jurisdiction between: (1) a court that has jurisdiction over a child in a marriage dissolution or paternity action; and (2) another court hearing a delinquency or child in need of services proceeding regarding the child. Permits a juvenile court to authorize drug and alcohol testing of a child under certain circumstances. Requires an individual who is required to make a report of abuse or neglect in the individual's capacity as a member of the staff of a hospital licensed under IC 16-21-2 to first notify the individual in charge of the hospital or the designated agent of the individual in charge of the hospital. Prohibits a public or nonpublic school, school corporation, facility, or agency from establishing a policy restricting an employee's duty to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Adds a written report as a means to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Amends a requirement that the department must notify the United States Department of Defense Family Advocacy Program (Program) regarding a substantiated investigation of abuse or neglect of a child of an active duty military member, to provide that the department must notify the Program upon request. Provides that a child: (1) who lives in the same household as another child who is a child in need of services because the other child is a victim of specified offenses; and (2) regarding whom a caseworker makes specified determinations; is a child in need of services. Provides that a child who: (1) is born with: (A) neonatal abstinence syndrome; or (B) a controlled substance, legend drug, or metabolite of a controlled substance or legend drug in the child's body, including in the child's blood, urine, umbilical cord tissue, or meconium; and (2) needs care, treatment, or rehabilitation the child is not receiving or unlikely to receive without court intervention; is a child in need of services, and establishes a rebuttable presumption that the conditions regarding the child's care, treatment, or rehabilitation are met if evidence exists that the child's mother used a controlled substance or a legend drug during pregnancy. Provides that a child in need of services may be placed in a residence at which a person who has been convicted of battery (rather than battery only as a felony, as provided in current law) resides, if the person's commission of the offense is not relevant to the person's ability to care for the child and the placement is in the best interests of the child. Makes optional (rather than required, as under current law) certain recommendations in a petition seeking participation of a parent, guardian, or custodian in a program of care, treatment, or rehabilitation of a child. Permits out-of-home placement of a child in a facility located outside Indiana only if there is not an equivalent facility (rather than a comparable facility, under current law) located in Indiana. Provides that a court may order a parent, guardian, or custodian of a child to participate in a mental health or addiction treatment program if the parent, guardian, or custodian will be participating in a program of care, treatment, or rehabilitation of the child. Prohibits filing by a child placing agency of a petition for voluntary termination of parental rights unless the petition is in furtherance of an adoption or other permanency plan. Requires a law enforcement agency to forward a missing child report to the department. Requires the department to complete a written report within 24 hours of receiving a report of a missing child. Requires the department to provide information concerning certain missing children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Provides that the consent of an agency or local office: (1) with lawful custody of a child whose adoption is being sought; and (2) who is served with a notice of adoption concerning the child; is not subject to being irrevocably implied. Provides immunity for a person who leaves an infant with a person who is an emergency medical services provider.
 Current Status:   4/26/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   4/21/2017 - Signed by the Speaker
4/21/2017 - Signed by the President Pro Tempore
 State Bill Page:   SB447
 
SB498TEACHER COMPENSATION. (RAATZ J) Provides that certain factors may account for not more than 33.33% (instead of 33%) of the calculation used to determine a teacher's increase or increment in salary. Amends the factor concerning additional content area degrees and credit hours in determining a teacher's increase or increment in salary. Requires the department of education to grant an application to add an additional content area or areas to a valid Indiana teaching license if certain conditions apply.
 Current Status:   4/27/2017 - Signed by the Governor
 Recent Status:   4/19/2017 - Signed by the Speaker
4/5/2017 - Returned to the Senate without amendments
 State Bill Page:   SB498
 
SR17URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUPPORT TEACHERS WHO TEACH A DIVERSE CURRICULUM. (RAATZ J) A SENATE RESOLUTION urging the Department of Education to reinforce support of teachers who choose to teach a diverse curriculum.
 Current Status:   2/27/2017 - Second reading adopted
 Recent Status:   2/27/2017 - Senate Resolutions Eligible for Adoption
2/23/2017 - Senator Crane added as coauthor
 State Bill Page:   SR17
 
SR77URGING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO ASSIGN THE TOPIC OF REGIONAL TEACHER EVALUATION TEAMS TO THE APPROPRIATE STUDY COMMITTEE. (HOUCHIN E) A SENATE RESOLUTION urging the legislative council to assign the topic of Regional Teacher Evaluation Teams to the appropriate study committee.
 Current Status:   4/21/2017 - adopted voice vote
 Recent Status:   4/21/2017 - First Reading
4/21/2017 - Authored By Erin Houchin
 State Bill Page:   SR77
 
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