S.B. No. 158
 
AN ACT
relating to the certification and employment of educational
diagnosticians.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 21.003, Education Code,
is amended to read as follows:
       (a)  A person may not be employed as a teacher, teacher
intern or teacher trainee, librarian, educational aide,
administrator, educational diagnostician, or counselor by a school
district unless the person holds an appropriate certificate or
permit issued as provided by Subchapter B.
       SECTION 2.  Section 21.401, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
       (d)  Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a contract
between a school district and an educational diagnostician.
       SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2008, the State Board
for Educator Certification shall propose rules governing the
certification of educational diagnosticians.
       SECTION 4.  Subsection (a), Section 21.003, Education Code,
as amended by this Act, applies only to a person who begins
employment with a school district as an educational diagnostician
on or after September 1, 2008. A person employed by a school
district as an educational diagnostician before September 1, 2008,
may continue employment with the school district without obtaining
a certificate or permit as an educational diagnostician as required
by Subsection (a), Section 21.003, Education Code, as amended by
this Act, so long as the person is employed by that district.
       SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
____________________________________________________________
President of the Senate             Speaker of the House
       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 158 passed the Senate on
March 26, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 0.
______________________________ 
   Secretary of the Senate
       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 158 passed the House on
May 2, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, two present
not voting.
______________________________ 
   Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________ 
______________________________ 
            Date
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______________________________ 
          Governor