85R1325 GCB-F
 
  By: Dale, Geren H.B. No. 1799
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to employing, terminating, and reporting misconduct of
  public school personnel and related entity personnel, including
  creating a registry of persons ineligible for hire; creating a
  criminal offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 42.018(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  This article applies only[:
               [(1)]  to conviction or deferred adjudication granted
  on the basis of:
               (1) [(A)]  an offense under Title 5, Penal Code,[; or
                     [(B) an offense on conviction of which a defendant
  is required to register as a sex offender under Chapter 62; and
               [(2)] if the victim of the offense was [is] under 18
  years of age at the time the offense was committed; or
               (2)  an offense for which a conviction or grant of
  deferred adjudication requires the defendant to register as a sex
  offender under Chapter 62.
         SECTION 2.  Section 7.028(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Section 21.006(j), 22.092(l),
  22.094, 29.001(5), 29.010(a), or 39.057, the agency may monitor
  compliance with requirements applicable to a process or program
  provided by a school district, campus, program, or school granted
  charters under Chapter 12, including the process described by
  Subchapter F, Chapter 11, or a program described by Subchapter B, C,
  D, E, F, H, or I, Chapter 29, Subchapter A, Chapter 37, or Section
  38.003, and the use of funds provided for such a program under
  Subchapter C, Chapter 42, only as necessary to ensure:
               (1)  compliance with federal law and regulations;
               (2)  financial accountability, including compliance
  with grant requirements; and
               (3)  data integrity for purposes of:
                     (A)  the Public Education Information Management
  System (PEIMS); and
                     (B)  accountability under Chapter 39.
         SECTION 3.  Section 12.056(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  A campus or program for which a charter is granted under
  this subchapter is subject to:
               (1)  a provision of this title establishing a criminal
  offense; and
               (2)  a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
  applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
  title, relating to:
                     (A)  the Public Education Information Management
  System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with
  this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;
                     (B)  criminal history records under Subchapter C,
  Chapter 22;
                     (C)  high school graduation under Section 28.025;
                     (D)  special education programs under Subchapter
  A, Chapter 29;
                     (E)  bilingual education under Subchapter B,
  Chapter 29;
                     (F)  prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E,
  Chapter 29;
                     (G)  extracurricular activities under Section
  33.081;
                     (H)  health and safety under Chapter 38; [and]
                     (I)  public school accountability under
  Subchapters B, C, D, E, F, and J, Chapter 39;
                     (J)  reporting misconduct under Sections 21.006
  and 22.092; and
                     (K)  the duty to discharge or refuse to hire
  certain employees or applicants for employment under Section
  12.1059, 22.085, or 22.091.
         SECTION 4.  Section 12.1059, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 12.1059.  AGENCY APPROVAL REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN
  EMPLOYEES. A person may not be employed by or serve as a teacher,
  librarian, educational aide, administrator, or school counselor
  for an open-enrollment charter school unless:
               (1)  the person has been approved by the agency
  following a review of the person's national criminal history record
  information as provided by Section 22.0832; and
               (2)  the school has confirmed that the person is not
  included in the registry under Section 22.091.
         SECTION 5.  Section 12.115(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), the commissioner
  shall revoke the charter of an open-enrollment charter school or
  reconstitute the governing body of the charter holder if the
  commissioner determines that the charter holder:
               (1)  committed a material violation of the charter,
  including by a failure to:
                     (A)  satisfy accountability provisions prescribed
  by the charter; or
                     (B)  comply with the duty to discharge or refuse
  to hire certain employees or applicants for employment, as provided
  by Section 12.1151;
               (2)  failed to satisfy generally accepted accounting
  standards of fiscal management;
               (3)  failed to protect the health, safety, or welfare
  of the students enrolled at the school;
               (4)  failed to comply with this subchapter or another
  applicable law or rule;
               (5)  failed to satisfy the performance framework
  standards adopted under Section 12.1181; or
               (6)  is imminently insolvent as determined by the
  commissioner in accordance with commissioner rule.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 12.1151 to read as follows:
         Sec. 12.1151.  FAILURE TO DISCHARGE OR REFUSE TO HIRE
  CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OR APPLICANTS. An open-enrollment charter school
  commits a material violation of the school's charter if the school
  fails to comply with the duty to discharge or refuse to hire certain
  employees or applicants for employment under Section 12.1059,
  22.085, or 22.091.
         SECTION 7.  Section 12A.008, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  The commissioner may terminate a district's
  designation as a district of innovation if the district fails to
  comply with the duty to discharge or refuse to hire certain
  employees or applicants for employment under Section 12.1059,
  applicable to the district under Section 12A.004(a)(1), or Section
  22.085 or 22.091.
         SECTION 8.  Section 21.006, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (b), (b-1), (c), (e), and (f) and adding
  Subsections (c-1), (i), and (j) to read as follows:
         (b)  In addition to the reporting requirement under Section
  261.101, Family Code, the superintendent or director of a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  regional education service center, or shared services arrangement
  or the principal of a school district, district of innovation, or
  open-enrollment charter school campus shall notify the State Board
  for Educator Certification if:
               (1)  an educator employed by or seeking employment by
  the school district, district of innovation, charter school,
  service center, or shared services arrangement has a criminal
  record and the school district, district of innovation, charter 
  school, service center, or shared services arrangement obtained
  information about the educator's criminal record by a means other
  than the criminal history clearinghouse established under Section
  411.0845, Government Code;
               (2)  an educator's employment at the school district,
  district of innovation, charter school, service center, or shared
  services arrangement was terminated and there is [based on]
  evidence that the educator:
                     (A)  abused or otherwise committed an unlawful act
  with a student or minor;
                     (A-1)  was involved in a romantic relationship
  with or solicited or engaged in sexual contact with a student or
  minor;
                     (B)  possessed, transferred, sold, or distributed
  a controlled substance, as defined by Chapter 481, Health and
  Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. Section 801 et seq.;
                     (C)  illegally transferred, appropriated, or
  expended funds or other property of the school district, district
  of innovation, charter school, service center, or shared services
  arrangement;
                     (D)  attempted by fraudulent or unauthorized
  means to obtain or alter a professional certificate or license for
  the purpose of promotion or additional compensation; or
                     (E)  committed a criminal offense or any part of a
  criminal offense on school property or at a school-sponsored event;
               (3)  the educator resigned and there is evidence that
  the educator engaged in misconduct described by Subdivision (2); or
               (4)  the educator engaged in conduct that violated the
  assessment instrument security procedures established under
  Section 39.0301.
         (b-1)  A superintendent or director of a school district,
  district of innovation, [or] open-enrollment charter school,
  regional education service center, or shared services arrangement
  or a principal of a school district, district of innovation, or
  open-enrollment charter school campus shall complete an
  investigation of an educator that involves [is based on] evidence
  that the educator may have engaged in misconduct described by
  Subsection (b)(2)(A) or (A-1), despite the educator's resignation
  from [district or school] employment before completion of the
  investigation.
         (c)  The superintendent or director, except as otherwise
  provided by Subsection (c-1), or the principal must notify the
  State Board for Educator Certification by filing a report with the
  board not later than the seventh day after the date the
  superintendent, [or] director, or principal knew or should have
  known about an educator's [employee's] criminal record under
  Subsection (b)(1) or a termination of employment or resignation
  following an alleged incident of misconduct described by Subsection
  (b). The report must be:
               (1)  in writing; and
               (2)  in a form prescribed by the board.
         (c-1)  A principal of a school district, district of
  innovation, or open-enrollment charter school campus who files a
  report under Subsection (c) must notify the superintendent or
  director of the school district, district of innovation, or charter
  school, as applicable, about the filing of the report. A
  superintendent or director who is notified that a principal
  employed by the school district, district of innovation, or charter
  school has filed a report under Subsection (c) is not required to
  file a report concerning the criminal record or alleged incident of
  misconduct addressed in the principal's report.
         (e)  A superintendent, [or] director, or principal who in
  good faith and while acting in an official capacity files a report
  with the State Board for Educator Certification under this section
  is immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be
  incurred or imposed.
         (f)  The State Board for Educator Certification shall
  determine whether to impose sanctions against a superintendent,
  [or] director, or principal who fails to file a report in violation
  of Subsection (c).
         (i)  A superintendent, director, or principal required to
  file a report under Subsection (c) commits an offense if the
  superintendent, director, or principal knowingly fails to file the
  report by the date required by that subsection. An offense under
  this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is
  a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that
  the superintendent, director, or principal intended to conceal an
  educator's criminal record or alleged incident of misconduct.
         (j)  The commissioner may review the records of a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  regional education service center, or shared services arrangement
  to ensure compliance with the requirement to report misconduct
  under this section.
         SECTION 9.  The heading to Section 21.058, Education Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.058.  REVOCATION OF CERTIFICATE AND TERMINATION OF
  EMPLOYMENT BASED ON CONVICTION OF OR PLACEMENT ON DEFERRED
  ADJUDICATION COMMUNITY SUPERVISION FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES.
         SECTION 10.  Sections 21.058(a) and (b), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The procedures described by Subsections (b) and (c)
  apply only[:
               [(1)]  to conviction of or placement on deferred
  adjudication community supervision for:
               (1)  a felony offense under Title 5, Penal Code, [or an
  offense on conviction of which a defendant is required to register
  as a sex offender under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure; and
               [(2)]  if the victim of the offense was [is] under 18
  years of age at the time the offense was committed; or
               (2)  an offense for which a defendant is required to
  register as a sex offender under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal
  Procedure.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Section 21.041(b)(7), not later than
  the fifth day after the date the board receives notice under Article
  42.018, Code of Criminal Procedure, of the conviction or placement
  on deferred adjudication community supervision of a person who
  holds a certificate under this subchapter, the board shall:
               (1)  revoke the certificate held by the person; and
               (2)  provide to the person, to the agency, and to any
  school district or open-enrollment charter school employing the
  person at the time of revocation written notice of:
                     (A)  the revocation; and
                     (B)  the basis for the revocation.
         SECTION 11.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.0585 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.0585.  NOTICE TO AGENCY REGARDING REVOCATION OF
  CERTIFICATE OR PERMIT FOR CERTAIN MISCONDUCT. The board shall
  promptly notify the agency for purposes of Section 22.091 if the
  board revokes a certificate or permit of a person on a finding that
  the person engaged in misconduct described by Section
  21.006(b)(2)(A) or (A-1).
         SECTION 12.  Section 22.0832, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 22.0832.  NATIONAL CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION
  REVIEW OF CERTAIN OPEN-ENROLLMENT CHARTER SCHOOL OR DISTRICT OF
  INNOVATION EMPLOYEES.  (a)  The agency shall review the national
  criminal history record information of an employee of an
  open-enrollment charter school or district of innovation to whom
  Section 12.1059 applies in the same manner as the State Board for
  Educator Certification reviews certified educators under Section
  22.0831.  If the agency determines that, based on information
  contained in an employee's criminal history record information, the
  employee would not be eligible for educator certification under
  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, the agency shall notify the
  open-enrollment charter school or district of innovation in writing
  that the person may not be employed by the school or serve in a
  capacity described by Section 12.1059.
         (b)  An open-enrollment charter school or district of
  innovation must provide the agency with any information requested
  by the agency to enable the agency to complete a review under
  Subsection (a).  Failure of an open-enrollment charter school to
  provide information under this subsection is a material violation
  of the school's charter. Failure of a district of innovation to
  provide information under this subsection may result in termination
  of the district's designation as a district of innovation.
         SECTION 13.  Sections 22.0833(a), (c), (e), (f), (g), and
  (h), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  This section applies to a person who is not an applicant
  for or holder of a certificate under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, and
  who on or after January 1, 2008, is offered employment by:
               (1)  a school district, district of innovation, or
  open-enrollment charter school; or
               (2)  a shared services arrangement, if the employee's
  or applicant's duties are or will be performed on school property or
  at another location where students are regularly present.
         (c)  Before or immediately after employing or securing the
  services of a person to whom this section applies, a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  or shared services arrangement shall send or ensure that the person
  sends to the department information that is required by the
  department for obtaining national criminal history record
  information, which may include fingerprints and photographs.
         (e)  Each school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, and shared services arrangement
  shall obtain all criminal history record information that relates
  to a person to whom this section applies through the criminal
  history clearinghouse as provided by Section 411.0845, Government
  Code, and shall subscribe to the criminal history record
  information of the person.
         (f)  The school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement may
  require a person to pay any fees related to obtaining criminal
  history record information under this section.
         (g)  A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement
  shall provide the agency with the name of a person to whom this
  section applies.  The agency shall obtain all criminal history
  record information of the person through the criminal history
  clearinghouse as provided by Section 411.0845, Government
  Code.  The agency shall examine the criminal history record
  information of the person and notify the district, district of
  innovation, charter school, or shared services arrangement if the
  person may not be hired or must be discharged as provided by Section
  22.085.
         (h)  The agency, the State Board for Educator Certification,
  school districts, districts of innovation, open-enrollment charter
  schools, and shared services arrangements may coordinate as
  necessary to ensure that criminal history reviews authorized or
  required under this subchapter are not unnecessarily duplicated.
         SECTION 14.  Sections 22.0836(a), (c), (e), (f), (g), and
  (h), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  This section applies to a person who is a substitute
  teacher for a school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement.
         (c)  A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement
  shall send or ensure that a person to whom this section applies
  sends to the department information that is required by the
  department for obtaining national criminal history record
  information, which may include fingerprints and photographs.
         (e)  Each school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, and shared services arrangement
  shall obtain all criminal history record information that relates
  to a person to whom this section applies through the criminal
  history clearinghouse as provided by Section 411.0845, Government
  Code.
         (f)  The school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement may
  require a person to pay any fees related to obtaining criminal
  history record information under this section.
         (g)  A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement
  shall provide the agency with the name of a person to whom this
  section applies.  The agency shall obtain all criminal history
  record information of the person through the criminal history
  clearinghouse as provided by Section 411.0845, Government
  Code.  The agency shall examine the criminal history record
  information and certification records of the person and notify the
  district, district of innovation, charter school, or shared
  services arrangement if the person:
               (1)  may not be hired or must be discharged as provided
  by Section 22.085; or
               (2)  may not be employed as a substitute teacher
  because the person's educator certification has been revoked or is
  suspended.
         (h)  The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this
  section, including rules establishing deadlines for a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  or shared services arrangement to require a person to whom this
  section applies to submit fingerprints and photographs in
  compliance with this section and the circumstances under which a
  person may not continue to be employed as a substitute teacher.
         SECTION 15.  Section 22.085, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 22.085.  EMPLOYEES AND APPLICANTS CONVICTED OF OR
  PLACED ON DEFERRED ADJUDICATION COMMUNITY SUPERVISION FOR CERTAIN
  OFFENSES. (a) A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement
  shall discharge or refuse to hire an employee or applicant for
  employment if the school district, district of innovation, charter 
  school, or shared services arrangement obtains information through
  a criminal history record information review that[:
               [(1)]  the employee or applicant has been convicted of
  or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for:
               (1) [(A)]  a felony offense under Title 5, Penal Code,
  if the victim of the offense was under 18 years of age at the time
  the offense was committed;
               (2) [(B)]  an offense on conviction of which or on
  placement on deferred adjudication community supervision for which 
  a defendant is required to register as a sex offender under Chapter
  62, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
               (3) [(C)]  an offense under the laws of another state
  or federal law that is equivalent to an offense under Subdivision
  (1) [Paragraph (A)] or (2) [(B); and
               [(2)     at the time the offense occurred, the victim of
  the offense described by Subdivision (1) was under 18 years of age
  or was enrolled in a public school].
         (b)  Subsection (a) does not apply if the employee or
  applicant for employment committed an offense under Title 5, Penal
  Code and:
               (1)  the date of the commission of the offense is more
  than 30 years before:
                     (A)  the effective date of S.B. No. 9, Acts of the
  80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, in the case of a person
  employed by a school district, open-enrollment charter school, or
  shared services arrangement as of that date; or
                     (B)  the date the person's employment will begin,
  in the case of a person applying for employment with a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  or shared services arrangement after the effective date of S.B.
  No. 9, Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007; and
               (2)  the employee or applicant for employment satisfied
  all terms of the court order entered on conviction or successfully
  completed the period of deferred adjudication community
  supervision.
         (c)  A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement may
  not allow a person who is an employee of or applicant for employment
  by an entity that contracts with the school district, district of
  innovation, charter school, or shared services arrangement to serve
  at the school district, district of innovation, or charter school
  or for the shared services arrangement if the school district,
  district of innovation, charter school, or shared services
  arrangement obtains information described by Subsection (a)
  through a criminal history record information review concerning the
  employee or applicant. A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement
  must ensure that an entity that the school district, district of
  innovation, charter school, or shared services arrangement
  contracts with for services has obtained all criminal history
  record information as required by Section 22.0834.
         (d)  A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, private school, regional education
  service center, or shared services arrangement may discharge an
  employee if the school district, district of innovation, charter
  school, or private school obtains information of the employee's
  conviction of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral
  turpitude that the employee did not disclose to the State Board for
  Educator Certification or the school district, district of
  innovation, charter school, private school, service center, or
  shared services arrangement. An employee discharged under this
  section is considered to have been discharged for misconduct for
  purposes of Section 207.044, Labor Code.
         (e)  The State Board for Educator Certification may impose a
  sanction on an educator who does not discharge an employee or refuse
  to hire an applicant for employment if the educator knows or should
  have known, through a criminal history record information review,
  that the employee or applicant has been convicted of or placed on
  deferred adjudication community supervision for an offense
  described by Subsection (a).
         (f)  Each school year, the superintendent [of a school
  district] or chief operating officer of a school district, district
  of innovation, or [an] open-enrollment charter school shall certify
  to the commissioner that the district or school has complied with
  this section.
         (g)  A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, or shared services arrangement
  shall promptly notify the agency for purposes of Section 22.091
  that the school district, district of innovation, charter school,
  or shared services arrangement discharged or refused to hire an
  employee or applicant for employment as provided by this section. A
  school district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter
  school, or shared services arrangement is not required to comply
  with this subsection if the school district, district of
  innovation, charter school, or shared services arrangement was
  notified by the agency that the person must be discharged or may not
  be hired as provided by this section pursuant to a review of the
  person's criminal history record information by the agency.
         SECTION 16.  Chapter 22, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter C-1 to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER C-1. PERSONS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT IN PUBLIC
  SCHOOLS
         Sec. 22.091.  REGISTRY OF PERSONS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
  EMPLOYMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (a) The agency shall maintain and
  make available to appropriate hiring entities a registry of persons
  who are not eligible to be employed by a school district, district
  of innovation, open-enrollment charter school, regional education
  service center, or shared services arrangement.
         (b)  A school district, district of innovation,
  open-enrollment charter school, regional education service center,
  or shared services arrangement shall discharge or refuse to hire a
  person listed on the registry maintained under this section.
         (c)  The registry maintained under this section must list the
  following persons as not eligible to be employed by public schools:
               (1)  a person determined by the agency under Section
  22.0832 as a person who would not be eligible for educator
  certification under Subchapter B, Chapter 21;
               (2)  a person who is not eligible for employment based
  on the person's criminal history record information review, as
  provided by Section 22.085;
               (3)  a person who is not eligible for employment based
  on criminal history record information received by the agency under
  Section 21.058(b);
               (4)  a person whose certification or permit issued
  under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, is revoked by the State Board for
  Educator Certification on a finding that the person engaged in
  misconduct described by Section 21.006(b)(2)(A) or (A-1); and
               (5)  a person who is determined by the commissioner
  under Section 22.093 to have engaged in misconduct described by
  Section 22.092(c)(1)(A) or (B).
         (d)  The agency shall adopt rules as necessary to implement
  this section.
         Sec. 22.092.  REQUIREMENT TO REPORT EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT.
  (a)  In this section, "abuse" has the meaning assigned by Section
  261.001, Family Code, and includes any sexual conduct involving a
  student or minor.
         (b)  This section applies to a person who is employed by a
  school district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter
  school, regional education service center, or shared services
  arrangement and who does not hold a certification or permit issued
  under Subchapter B, Chapter 21.
         (c)  In addition to the reporting requirement under Section
  261.101, Family Code, the superintendent or director of a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  regional education service center, or shared services arrangement
  or the principal of a school district, district of innovation, or
  open-enrollment charter school campus shall notify the
  commissioner if:
               (1)  an employee's employment at the school district,
  district of innovation, charter school, service center, or shared
  services arrangement was terminated and there is evidence that the
  employee:
                     (A)  abused or otherwise committed an unlawful act
  with a student or minor; or
                     (B)  was involved in a romantic relationship with
  or solicited or engaged in sexual contact with a student or minor;
  or
               (2)  the employee resigned and there is evidence that
  the employee engaged in misconduct described by Subdivision (1).
         (d)  A superintendent or director of a school district,
  district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school, regional
  education service center, or shared services arrangement or a
  principal of a school district, district of innovation, or
  open-enrollment charter school campus shall complete an
  investigation of an employee that involves evidence that the
  employee may have engaged in misconduct described by Subsection
  (c)(1)(A) or (B), despite the employee's resignation from
  employment before completion of the investigation.
         (e)  The superintendent or director, except as otherwise
  provided by Subsection (f), or the principal must notify the
  commissioner by filing a report with the commissioner not later
  than the seventh day after the date the superintendent, director,
  or principal knew or should have known about an employee's
  termination of employment or resignation following an alleged
  incident of misconduct described by Subsection (c)(1).  The report
  must be:
               (1)  in writing; and
               (2)  in a form prescribed by the commissioner.
         (f)  A principal of a school district, district of
  innovation, or open-enrollment charter school campus who files a
  report under Subsection (e) must notify the superintendent or
  director of the school district, district of innovation, or charter
  school, as applicable, about the filing of the report. A
  superintendent or director who is notified that a principal
  employed by the school district, district of innovation, or charter
  school has filed a report under Subsection (e) is not required to
  file a report concerning the alleged incident of misconduct
  addressed in the principal's report.
         (g)  The superintendent or director shall notify the board of
  trustees or governing body of the school district, district of
  innovation, open-enrollment charter school, regional education
  service center, or shared services arrangement and the employee of
  the filing of the report required by Subsection (e).
         (h)  A superintendent, director, or principal who in good
  faith and while acting in an official capacity files a report with
  the commissioner under this section is immune from civil or
  criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed.
         (i)  The commissioner shall refer an educator who fails to
  file a report in violation of Subsection (e) to the State Board for
  Educator Certification, and the board shall determine whether to
  impose sanctions against the educator.
         (j)  The name of a student or minor who is the victim of abuse
  or unlawful conduct by an employee must be included in a report
  filed under this section, but the name of the student or minor is
  not public information under Chapter 552, Government Code.
         (k)  A superintendent, director, or principal required to
  file a report under Subsection (e) commits an offense if the
  superintendent, director, or principal knowingly fails to file the
  report by the date required by that subsection. An offense under
  this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is
  a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that
  the superintendent, director, or principal intended to conceal an
  employee's alleged incident of misconduct.
         (l)  The commissioner may review the records of a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  regional education service center, or shared services arrangement
  to ensure compliance with the requirement to report misconduct
  under this section.
         (m)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         Sec. 22.093.  NOTICE OF ALLEGED MISCONDUCT; INVESTIGATION;
  HEARING.  (a) A person who is the subject of a report that alleges
  misconduct described by Section 22.092(c)(1)(A) or (B) is entitled
  to a hearing under the procedures provided by Chapter 2001,
  Government Code, to contest the allegation in the report.
         (b)  On receiving a report filed under Section 22.092(e), the
  commissioner shall promptly send to the person who is the subject of
  the report a notice that includes:
               (1)  a statement informing the person that the person
  must request a hearing within the period provided by Subsection
  (c);
               (2)  a request that the person submit a response within
  the period provided by Subsection (c) to show cause why the
  commissioner should not pursue an investigation; and
               (3)  a statement informing the person that if the
  person does not timely submit a response to show cause as provided
  by Subdivision (2), the agency shall provide information indicating
  the person is under investigation in the manner provided by
  Subsection (d).
         (c)  A person entitled to a hearing under Subsection (a) must
  request a hearing and submit a response to show cause not later than
  the 10th day after the date the person receives the notice from the
  commissioner under Subsection (b).
         (d)  If a person who receives notice under Subsection (b)
  does not timely submit a response to show cause why the commissioner
  should not pursue an investigation, the commissioner shall instruct
  the agency to provide information indicating the person is under
  investigation for alleged misconduct to a school district, district
  of innovation, open-enrollment charter school, or shared services
  arrangement that makes an inquiry to the agency with respect to a
  national criminal history record information review of the person
  under Section 22.0832 or 22.0833.
         (e)  If a person entitled to a hearing under Subsection (a)
  does not request a hearing as provided by Subsection (c), the
  commissioner shall:
               (1)  based on the report filed under Section 22.092(e),
  make a determination whether the person engaged in misconduct; and
               (2)  if the commissioner determines that the person
  engaged in misconduct described by Section 22.092(c)(1)(A) or (B),
  instruct the agency to add the person's name to the registry
  maintained under Section 22.091.
         (f)  If a person entitled to a hearing under Subsection (a)
  requests a hearing as provided by Subsection (c) and the final
  decision in that hearing determines that the person engaged in
  misconduct described by Section 22.092(c)(1)(A) or (B), the
  commissioner shall instruct the agency to add the person's name to
  the registry maintained under Section 22.091.
         (g)  If a person entitled to a hearing under Subsection (a)
  requests a hearing as provided by Subsection (c) and the final
  decision in that hearing determines that the person did not engage
  in misconduct described by Section 22.092(c)(1)(A) or (B), the
  commissioner shall instruct the agency to immediately discontinue
  providing the information under Subsection (d) indicating that the
  person is under investigation for alleged misconduct.
         (h)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         Sec. 22.094.  COMPLIANCE MONITORING. The agency shall
  periodically conduct site visits and review the records of school
  districts, districts of innovation, open-enrollment charter
  schools, and shared services arrangements to ensure compliance with
  Section 22.091(b).
         SECTION 17.  Section 39.0302(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  During an agency investigation or audit of a school
  district under Section 39.0301(e) or (f), an accreditation
  investigation under Section 39.057(a)(8) or (14), a compliance
  review under Section 21.006(j), 22.092(l), or 22.094, or an
  investigation by the State Board for Educator Certification of an
  educator for an alleged violation of an assessment instrument
  security procedure established under Section 39.0301(a), the
  commissioner may issue a subpoena to compel the attendance of a
  relevant witness or the production, for inspection or copying, of
  relevant evidence that is located in this state.
         SECTION 18.  The Texas Education Agency shall establish the
  registry of persons who are not eligible to be employed by a school
  district, district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school,
  regional education service center, or shared services arrangement,
  as required by Section 22.091, Education Code, as added by this Act,
  as soon as practicable and not later than January 1, 2018.
         SECTION 19.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.