H.B. No. 3573
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the requirements for obtaining a health science
  technology education teaching certificate and to the scope of
  courses a person may teach holding a technology applications
  teaching certificate.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 21.044, Education Code, as amended by
  Chapters 635 (S.B. 866) and 926 (S.B. 1620), Acts of the 82nd
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, is reenacted and amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 21.044.  EDUCATOR PREPARATION. (a) The board shall
  propose rules establishing the training requirements a person must
  accomplish to obtain a certificate, enter an internship, or enter
  an induction-year program. The board shall specify the minimum
  academic qualifications required for a certificate.
         (b)  Any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate
  specified under Subsection (a) that require a person to possess a
  bachelor's degree must also require that the person receive, as
  part of the curriculum for that degree, instruction in detection
  and education of students with dyslexia. This subsection does not
  apply to a person who obtains a certificate through an alternative
  certification program adopted under Section 21.049.
         (c)  The instruction under Subsection (b) must:
               (1)  be developed by a panel of experts in the diagnosis
  and treatment of dyslexia who are:
                     (A)  employed by institutions of higher
  education; and
                     (B)  approved by the board; and
               (2)  include information on:
                     (A)  characteristics of dyslexia;
                     (B)  identification of dyslexia; and
                     (C)  effective, multisensory strategies for
  teaching students with dyslexia.
         (d) [(b)]  In proposing rules under this section, the board
  shall specify that to obtain a certificate to teach an "applied STEM
  course," as that term is defined by Section 28.027, at a secondary
  school, a person must:
               (1)  pass the certification test administered by the
  recognized national or international business and industry group
  that created the curriculum the applied STEM course is based on; and
               (2)  have at a minimum:
                     (A)  an associate degree from an accredited
  institution of higher education; and
                     (B)  three years of work experience in an
  occupation for which the applied STEM course is intended to prepare
  the student.
         (e)  In proposing rules under this section for a person to
  obtain a certificate to teach a health science technology education
  course, the board shall specify that a person must have:
               (1)  an associate degree or more advanced degree from
  an accredited institution of higher education;
               (2)  current licensure, certification, or registration
  as a health professions practitioner issued by a nationally
  recognized accrediting agency for health professionals; and
               (3)  at least two years of wage earning experience
  utilizing the licensure requirement.
         (f)  The board may not propose rules for a certificate to
  teach a health science technology education course that specify
  that a person must have a bachelor's degree or that establish any
  other credential or teaching experience requirements that exceed
  the requirements under Subsection (e).
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.0486 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.0486.  TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS CERTIFICATION. A
  person who holds a technology applications certificate issued under
  this subchapter may, in addition to teaching technology
  applications courses as authorized under the certificate, teach
  courses in:
               (1)  principles of arts, audio/video technology, and
  communications; and
               (2)  principles of information technology.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3573 was passed by the House on May 8,
  2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3573 was passed by the Senate on May
  22, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor