HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3560        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2850

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sean Garballey

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relating to national fingerprint checks for school employees.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/20/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3560        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2850

By Mr. Garballey of Arlington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2850) of Sean Garballey relative to national fingerprint-based criminal background checks for certifying and recertifying certain school employees.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 377 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relating to national fingerprint checks for school employees.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1. Section 38R of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as most recently amended by chapter 77, section 7 of the Acts of 2013, is hereby amended by adding to the end thereof the following:

The board of elementary and secondary education (board), in consultation with the department of criminal justice information services, shall at least every other year conduct a review of the implementation of the national fingerprint- based criminal background check, to consider reducing the regulatory burden and associated costs imposed upon school districts and the fees paid by school employees. Pursuant to such review, the board shall consider initiating a requirement that a teacher and other certified employees pursuant to section 38G as a condition of initial certification and, as necessary, recertification shall be subject to a national fingerprint-based criminal background check, which shall be provided to a school district, upon its request, that is seeking to hire said employee. The board shall file a report, within I year of the passage of this act, with the joint chairs of the committee on education, on the requirement linking the national fingerprint-based criminal background check to certification together with a draft of any legislation that may be necessary. The board shall at least every other year, commencing 1 year after the passage of this act, file a report and recommendations with the joint chairs of the committee on education, on its review concerning reducing the regulatory burden and associated costs due to the implementation of the national fingerprint-based criminal background check.