From the ECS State Policy Database Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights

This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary OK Signed into law 09/2013 P-12 School Protection Act H.B. 1009 Creates the School Protection Act, stating that the purpose is to provide teachers, principals, and other school professionals the tools they need to undertake reasonable actions to maintain order, discipline, and an appropriate educational environment. Any st... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 District Trustee Member Access to Records H.B. 628 Authorizes a district board of trustees member to obtain district information, documents, and records without submitting a public information request. Permits the district to withhold or redact information, a document, or a record requested is exempted from di... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Representative of Employee's Attorney by Conference Call in Grievance Proceedings H.B. 2607 Requires a school district grievance policy must permit an attorney or other person representing a district employee concerning a grievance against a supervisor to represent the employee through a telephone conference call, provided that the district has the e... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 District Requirements Before Adopting a Major Curriculum Initiative S.B. 1474 Before adopting a major curriculum initiative, including the use of a curriculum management system, requires a district to use a process that includes teacher input, provides district employees the opportunity to express opinions regarding the initiative, and ... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Time Frame for Commissioner to Issue a Decision in an Appeal H.B. 2952 Requires the commissioner of education to issue a decision in certain appeals against a school district not later than the 240th day after the date the appeal is filed. Permits the parties to the appeal to agree in writing to extend, by not more than 60 days, ... More... TX Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Confidentiality of District Employee Social Security Numbers H.B. 2961 Provides that a district employee's social security number that is in district custody is confidential. Prohibits a district from requiring a current or former employee to choose whether to allow public access to the employee's or former employee's social secu... More... TN Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Teacher Compensation S.B. 302 Requires local education agencies to continue to pay teacher's full compensation and benefits, less disability benefits received through workers' compensation, for teachers who are victims of violent crime during the course of employment. http://www.capitol.tn... More... CO To governor 04/2013 P-12 Confidentiality of K-12 Educator Performance Data H.B. 1220 Authorizes access to a teacher's evaluation reports for an individual responsible for reviewing a nonprobationary teacher's appeal. Provides nothing in statute prohibits a district or board of cooperative services (BOCES) from collecting information on an indi... More... OK Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Educators' Children Off Limits from Hiring Decisions S.B. 199 Prohibits school district employment contracts from inquiring about an applicant's children (and potential enrollment of children) and from being considered in hiring decisions. http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf/2013-14%20int/sb/SB199%20int.doc ... More... VA Signed into law 03/2013 P-12 School personnel evaluation policies and grievance procedures. H.B. 2151/S.B. 1223 Makes several changes to the processes by which teachers and certain administrators are evaluated and to the grievance procedure process. Requires teachers, assistant principals, and principals to be evaluated every year, either formally or informally, and suc... More... TN Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 First Amendment Rights H.B. 3266 Prohibits LEAs, school administrators and educators from taking action that infringe on or waive first amendment rights of school personnel or students without written consent of those who would be affected. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/HB3266.pdf... More... AR Adopted 02/2012 P-12 School Worker Defense Program and Advisory Board AR ADC 005.01.23-1.0 to AR ADC 005.01.23-10.0; AR ADC 005.04.8-1.00 to AR ADC 005.04.8-11.00 Establishes the School Worker Defense Program Advisory Board (the Board). Directs that the Board be comprised of seven specific members, and that no employee of the Department of Education who is charged with administering the School Worker Defense Program may... More... NC Signed into law 01/2012 P-12 No Dues Checkoff for School Employees S.B. 727 Eliminates the option of active or retired public school employees to pay an employees' organization through a periodic deduction from payroll or a retirement account. Session Law 2012-1. http://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/PDF/2011-2012/SL2012... More... MO Signed into law 10/2011 P-12 Staff/Student Internet Use S.B. 1 Modifies S.B. 54. SCS/SB 1 c[ ][ ] This act modifies provisions relating to communications between school district employees and students.Current law requires each school district to promulgate a written policy on teacher-student and employee-student communica... More... TX Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 District Employees and Charitable Contributions H.B. 1682 Prohibits district boards or employees from requiring or coercing any employee to make a contribution to a charitable organization or in response to a fund-raiser, or attend a meeting to solicit charitable contributions. Also prohibits district boards or emplo... More... TX Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Confidentiality of Teacher and Administrator Performance Documents H.B. 2971 Clarifies that the confidentiality of documents evaluating teacher or administrator performance applies to teachers and administrators at open-enrollment charter schools, regardless of whether the teacher or administrator is certified. Provides that at the req... More... UT To governor 03/2011 P-12 Limits on Paid Leave for Employee Association or Union Duties H.B. 183 Prohibits a local school board from granting paid association leave for an employee to perform an employee association or union duty. Permits a local board to grant paid association leave for an employee to perform an association or union duty if (1) the duty ... More... AR Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Postsec. Arkansas Teacher Retirement System Member Employment S.B. 126 Establishes the right of an Arkansas Teacher Retirement System member to remain an active member when employed by an institution of higher education. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/SB126.pdf... More... FL Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 First Amendment Protection H.B. 31 Prohibits school boards, administrative personnel, and instructional personnel from taking affirmative action, including, but not limited to, the entry into any agreement, that infringes or waives the rights or freedoms afforded to instructional personnel, sch... More... MO Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Teacher Tenure H.B. 1543--Multiple Provisions Allows the special administrative board, when it has been granted governing powers for a district in the St. Louis City School District to appoint a hearing officer to conduct a contested case of a teacher's dismissal. The board must render a decision on the c... More... GA Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Public Disclosure Requirements H.B. 1086 Relates to exemptions to requirements for disclosure of public records, so as to provide that certain personal information relating to teachers and employees of public and nonpublic schools is exempt from disclosure. Provides that information relating to tests... More... AL Pocket veto by governor 05/2010 P-12 Postsec. Misdemeanors by Public School Employees H.B. 236 Defines "public education employee" as any public education employee employed by federal, state or county government or any public college, school, or university. Relates to arrest warrants for public education employees. Specifies that when a public education... More... NY Vetoed 03/2010 P-12 "Other Specified Personnel" when BOCES Takes Over Program S.B. 6154 Relates to teachers' rights; adds other specified personnel to teachers and teaching assistants when a board of cooperative educational services takes over a program previously offered by a district or districts or by a county vocational education and extensio... More... IL Signed into law 02/2010 P-12 Postsec. Discrimination H.B. 59 Relates to the procedure for filing a complaint with the Director of Human Rights relating to discrimination in employment, credit, public accommodations, higher education or certain other circumstances. Requires that a notice of dismissal notify a complainant... More... UT Adopted 02/2010 P-12 Sharing of Curriculum Materials R277-111 Adds new Rule 277-111, "Sharing of Curriculum Materials by Public School Educators". Allows/encourages educators to use valuable time and resources to improve instruction with assistance from appropriate materials developed by other educators. Allows educators... More... IL Signed into law 11/2009 P-12 Interference with a Public Institution of Education H.B. 557 Expands the statute concerning interference with a public institution of higher education to also include interference with public elementary and secondary schools. Provides that if the interference with the public institution of education is accompanied by a ... More... IL Signed into law 11/2009 P-12 Postsec. Civil Rights H.B. 2547 Provides that the exercise of free speech, free expression, free exercise of religion or expression of religiously based views by any individual or group of individuals that is protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and that occurs in a ... More... IL Signed into law 08/2009 Postsec. Community College Faculty and Staff Political Displays H.B. 899 Provides that a university or community college may not prohibit any faculty or staff member from: (1) displaying political buttons, stickers, or patches while on university or community college property provided such display is for a purpose relevant to the s... More... IL Signed into law 08/2009 Postsec. Community College Rights of Postsecondary Faculty and Staff H.B. 898 Provides that all faculty and staff members of a university or community college are free to communicate their views on any matter of private or public concern to any member of the legislative, executive or judicial branch of government, state or federal, with... More... IL Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Sick Leave S.B. 35 and H.B. 548 Provides that a school board may require a certificate from a physician, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant or spiritual adviser as a basis for pay during leave after an absence of 30 days for birth. Provides that for paid sick leave for adoption or ... More... NC Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Probationary and Career Teacher Hearing Process Modifications S.B. 962 Modifies the hearing process applicable to probationary teachers by providing the teacher a right to notice and hearing prior to the board's vote on whether to grant the teacher career status; requires the superintendent to provide written notice to a probatio... More... LA Adopted 06/2009 P-12 Teacher Bill of Rights LAC 28:CXV.519 Provides for the immunity and legal defense of teachers. Provides for the rights of beginning teachers. Provides for the distribution of the list of rights to schools, parents and legal guardians. Provides for the posting of the list. http://doa.louisiana.gov... More... TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Leave Time for Assaulted Staff H.B. 1470 Requires school districts to notify employees that they are entitled to leave time if physically assaulted during the performance of their regular duties. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB01470F.pdf... More... TX Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Employee Grievances H.B. 2512 Requires districts to allow an employee reporting a grievance to make an audio recording of any meeting in which the grievance is investigated or discussed. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB02512F.pdf... More... FL Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Postsec. Public Records Law Exemption for Information Obtained in a Department of Education Testing Impropriety Investigation H.B. 895 Provides an exemption from public records requirements for personally identifiable information of any personnel of any school district or postsecondary educational institution, or any specific allegations of misconduct obtained or reported in connection with a... More... OK Vetoed 05/2009 P-12 Influencing Elections H.B. 2161 Provides that the board of education of a school district shall not allow any individual or organization to speak or distribute material at an in-service or other similar teacher meeting for which attendance is required by the district, when the information sh... More... OK Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 H.B. 1598 Prohibits certain persons from certain involvement in due process hearings; creates the School Protection Act; provides short title; states purpose; defines terms; makes it unlawful to make a false criminal report against an education employee; provides punish... More... LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Orientation on Disciplinary Rules and Student Conduct H.B. 754 Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, requires the governing authority of an elementary or secondary school to provide every student an orientation during the first five days of the school year regarding school disciplinary rules and student conduct. Provi... More... LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 H.B. 672 Renames provisions of law providing for the rights of teachers to the Teacher Bill of Rights. Provides that teachers have a right to immunity and legal defense. Provides that a beginning teacher has the right to receive leadership, including the assignment of ... More... LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Battery of a School Teacher H.B. 757 For purposes of R.S. 14:34.3 and R.S. 38.2 relating to battery of a school teacher, extends definition of "school teacher" to include any teacher aide and paraprofessional, school bus driver, food service worker, and other clerical, custodial, or maintenance p... More... TN Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Whistleblower Protections H.B. 2610 This bill prohibits the taking of adverse employment action against any teacher employed by an LEA solely for refusing to participate in, or refusing to remain silent about, illegal activities. Any teacher who suffers adverse employment action in violation of ... More... GA Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Inappropriate Behavior by an Educator H.B. 1321 Provides that falsifying, misrepresenting, omitting, or erroneously reporting reports of instances of inappropriate behavior by a teacher, administrator or other school employee toward a student must be addressed in the student code of conduct. Directs the Pro... More... ME Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Teacher Certification -- Revocation/Reinstatement S.B. 912A Requires the Department of Education to report all denials, revocations, suspensions, surrenders and reinstatements of certification that are not under appeal or still subject to appeal to a national association of state directors of teacher education and cert... More... NY Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Teacher Certification of Legal Aliens A.B. 8975 From bill analysis on New York State United Teachers Web site: Extends for another five years (to 2012), chapter 658 of the laws of 2002, which enabled a legal resident whose immigration status is that of a lawful permanent U.S. resident and who would otherwis... More... IL Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Whistleblower Act H.B. 742 Amends the Whistleblower Act. Provides that an "employer" as defined in the act includes: (1) A political subdivision of the state (2) A unit of local government (3) A school district, combination of school districts, or governing body of a joint agreement of ... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Release of School Personnel Files H.B. 550 Modifies the law pertaining to the confidentiality of school personnel files. Provides that information contained in a personnel file that is relevant to possible criminal misconduct may be made available to law enforcement and the district attorney to assist ... More... CA Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Teacher quality A.B. 1194 Gives public school employees the right to represent themselves individually in their employment relations with the public school employer, except that once the employees in an appropriate unit select an exclusive representative and it is recognized or certifi... More... OR Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Discrimination H.B. 2906 Allows person claiming to be aggrieved by unlawful discrimination to file civil action in circuit court. No action shall be filed unless, within 180 days of the alleged discrimination, a grievance has been filed with the school district board, public charter s... More... GA Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Grade Integrity Act of 2007 S.B. 9 Enacts the Grade Integrity Act of 2007. Provides that no classroom teacher shall be required, coerced, intimidated, or disciplined in any manner to change the grade of a student. Provides that a violation of this provision constitutes an ethical violation repo... More... TX Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Employee Immunity S.B. 370 Prohibit school districts from requiring district employees to waive immunity from liability for acts for which they are immune from liability under Section 22.0511, Education Code, or require an employee who acts in good faith to pay for or replace property t... More... TX Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 H.B. 1622 From bill analysis: Currently, a school district employee who needs to report a grievance against a supervisor must report the grievance to their supervisor if the school district to which the employee belongs does not have a provision in its grievance policy ... More... IN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 H.B. 1116 Requires an individual to have training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, removing obstructions to a person's airway and the Heimlich maneuver before obtaining an initial license as a teacher. Creates a new chapter on care of students with diabetes. Requires... More... IN Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Nonrenewal of a Teacher's Contract H.B. 1489 Allows a nonpermanent teacher ten days to request a conference with the governing body after receiving a notice of nonrenewal of the teacher's contract; provides that the governing body may not take action concerning the nonrenewal of the teacher's contract un... More... NC Signed into law 07/2006 P-12 Instructional Planning Time and a Daily Duty-Free Lunch H.B. 1151 Provides for weekly instructional planning time and a daily duty-free lunch period for teachers. http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2005/Bills/House/HTML/H1151v5.html... More... LA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Paid Leave to Attend Meetings H.B. 800 Requires that a local school board employee be provided paid leave to attend meetings of certain public entities on which the employee serves as an elected or appointed member. Provides that public entities include the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' Retire... More... LA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Assault on a School Teacher H.B. 1260 Provides that the crime of assault on a school teacher includes making statements threatening physical harm to a school teacher and requires certain disciplinary actions to be taken when a public elementary or secondary school student is accused of violating t... More... LA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Documents in Teacher Personnel File H.B. 1184 Provides relative to documents placed in a school employee's personnel file on or before September 1987. Permits the school employee to rebut and respond to such documents if, at any time, a city, parish, or other local public school board takes any personnel ... More... KY Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Income and Benefits of Teacher Victim of Assault S.B. 51 Provides that there shall be no loss of income or benefits to a teacher or school employee for work time lost because of personal injury incurred by the teacher or employee as the result of an assault while in the performance of assigned duties for a period of... More... IN Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Possessing a Knife on School Property H.B. 1093 Makes possessing a knife on school property or on a school bus a Class B misdemeanor; makes the offense a Class A misdemeanor if the offender has a previous unrelated conviction and a Class D felony if the offense results in bodily injury or serious bodily inj... More... DE SIGNED 04/2005 P-12 Communications Regarding Teacher Termination H.B. 22 Requires that formal communications between a teacher and a school board relating to the termination of the teacher's services be sent via certified mail, with a return receipt requested. The existing code requires that such communications be sent via register... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Teacher Immunity H.B. 2267 States that a full-time certified teacher is immune from personal liability for all acts done and actions taken in good faith in evaluating or grading any student. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=2267... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Teachers Lunch Breaks H.B. 2789 Ensures that teachers receive a thirty-minute uninterrupted duty-free lunch period during each student instructional day. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/hb2789.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 03/2005 P-12 School Employee Rights H.B. 2482 Clarifies a school employee's right to have a witness or representative present in a disciplinary or grievance matter. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/HB2482.pdf... More... CA Vetoed 08/2004 P-12 Pupil Evaluation of a Teacher A.B. 2370 Permits, with respect to courses of study taught in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive a teacher to solicit pupil evaluations of his or her courses. Prohibits certain actions from being taken against a teacher or pupil as a result of a pupil evaluation. http://w... More... DE Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Student Grades and Teacher Evaluations H.B. 126 Relates to student grades and teacher evaluations; provides that no one except the teacher who assigns a grade to a student may change the grade; for example, a school administrator may not raise or lower a student's grade; provides that the method which a tea... More... LA Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Postsec. Arrest of Teachers H.B. 445 Limits the authority of a justice of the peace to arrest a teacher in any public or private elementary, secondary, high school, vocational-technical school, college or university who is acting in the scope of his or her professional duties, with certain except... More... LA Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 School Employee Injuries S.B. 51 Relates to school employee injuries. Specifies that sick leave with pay for any secretary, paraprofessional employee, school aide, teacher or superintendent of a special school who is injured or disabled while acting in his official capacity as a result of (1... More... AK Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Teachers and Jury Duty H.B. 353 Exempts certain teachers at schools that are designated as failing to make adequate yearly progress from jury service during school terms. http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HB0353Z&session=23... More... FL Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Education Personnel S.B. 2986 Relates to education personnel; provides for expunging of criminal history records of applicants for employment at certain education related offices; requires background screening for charter school employees and board members; amends requirements for admissio... More... HI Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Smoking/Tobacco Products on School Property H.B. 2871 Creates a safe and healthy school environment by prohibiting any person from smoking tobacco products on school property and at any school- sponsored functions regardless of location; provided that affected public employees shall be provided breaks for smoking... More... AL Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Teacher Tenure Law H.B. 42 Relating to the Teacher Tenure Law: transfers, suspensions, and contract cancellations, hearing procedures, different procedures for major and minor (seven days or less) suspensions, use of hearing officers including arbitrators from Federal Mediation and Conc... More... AL Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Fair Dismissal Act H.B. 43 Relates to public school employees, Fair Dismissal Act, transfers, terminations, suspensions, procedure before local board of education, appeals procedure to hearing officer including arbitrator from Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, different proced... More... CT Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Teachers Evaluations S.B. 533 Concerning teachers' evaluations; makes the failure to follow the procedures of evaluation programs subject to the grievance procedure in collective bargaining agreements. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00137-R00SB-00533-PA.htm... More... AZ Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Reduction of Salaries or School Personnel H.B. 2102 Concerns limitation on reduction of salaries or personnel in schools; requires notice of general salary reduction prior to the fiscal year it takes place; makes technical correction; specifies exception for reductions in salary from monies from the Classroom S... More... CO Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Teacher Criminal Prosecution S.B. 152 Prohibits the payment of a teacher following the initiation of a prosecution for an offense that would result in the loss of licensure. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2004a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont2/... More... ID Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 Teacher Certification S.B. 1351 Amends existing law relating to public school teachers to provide for placing conditions on a certificate; to provide an additional ground for denial, revocation, suspension or placing conditions on a certificate; and to provide an additional ground for which ... More... ID Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 Teacher Certification S.B. 1350 Amends existing law to provide that the chief certification officer for the Department of Education or the administrator for the Professional Standards Commission may bring allegations against a teacher; deletes the provision for placing a letter of reprimand ... More... AR Became law without governor's signature 01/2004 P-12 Distance Learning H.B. 1036 Assists public schools through the establishment of grants for distance learning; provides for the establishment of standards for eligible equipment and telecommunications services; provides that a teacher that is under contract in a school district in the res... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Teacher Organization Officers S.B. 230 Provides if a teacher is elected to serve as an officer of a state or national teacher organization that represents teachers in collective bargaining negotiations, then the school board shall grant the teacher a leave of absence of up to 6 years or the period ... More... LA Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Teachers' Bill of Rights H.B. 1342 Establishes the Teachers' Bill of Rights. The teachers' rights enumerated include: 1) The right to teach free from the fear of frivolous lawsuits, including the right to indemnification by the employing school board for actions taken in the fulfillment of the ... More... LA Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Teachers-Medical Leave Sabbaticals H.B. 846 Eliminates provision that teachers at regular and special public schools are eligible for medical leave sabbaticals only if they have 25 days or fewer of regular sick leave remaining. http://www.legis.state.la.us/bills/byinst.asp?sessionid=03RS&billid=HB846&do... More... IN Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Background checks, criminal acts, contract and license termination, liability, H.B. 1620 Revises policies a school may adopt concerning criminal history checks; requires a prosecuting attorney to notify the state superintendent of public instruction and the employer when a licensed school employee is convicted of certain offenses; revises grounds ... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Paid Breaks and Duty Free Lunch Periods H.B. 2232 Requires school districts to provide classified school employees with paid breaks and duty-free lunch periods. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2232.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 School Children Protection Act S.B. 691 Expands the Arkansas school children protection act to include teacher sexual contact with a student; requires termination of employment upon conviction. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/SB691.pdf... More... CO Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Immunity for Educators H.B. 1127 Concerns allegations against education providers; provides immunity from suit for an educational entity and its employees for any actions taken during the normal course of educational related activities or business and not willful and wanton violation of statu... More... ID Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Reporting School Violence H.B. 269 Adds to current law to provide for reports of threats of violence or potential violence at a school; governs liability for defamation. http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/H0269.html... More... AR Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Teacher Right to Witnesses H.B. 2514 Allows a teacher to have a witness or representative of the teacher's choice present during any disciplinary or grievance matter upon request of the teacher. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2514.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Teacher's Daily Planning Period S.B. 349 Amends statutes requiring teacher's daily planning period be provided in increments of no less than forty (40) minutes.http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/SB349.pdf... More... CT Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Sexual Abuse of Minors and Child Abuse and Teacher Records H.B. 5680 Lengthens statutes of limitations in cases of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or sexual assault of a minor to 30 years from date of victim's attainment of age of majority. Adds section stating that in certain cases of recovering damages for personal injury c... More... HI Vetoed 05/2002 P-12 Access of Auditor to Student or Other Records H.B. 2231 Establishes the office of the auditor as an authorized representative of the department of education and department of health, a state educational authority, or a state educational official, and as such, authorized to have access to any student or other record... More... NH Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Liability of Teachers S.B. 155 Allows the court to award attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing parties when it finds that a frivolous action has been brought against a teacher or employee of a school district or one of its contract service providers; protects public and private school... More... VA Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Assault on Employees H.B. 427 Provides that any person who commits battery against any employee of any public or private elementary or secondary school engaged in the performance of his duties shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor with mandatory, minimum sentence or, if a weapon is used... More... TX Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 Rights of Assaulted Teachers H.B. 1188 Relates to the rights of a public school teacher who is assaulted during the performance of the teacher's regular duties.... More... IN Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Criminal history checks S.B. 445 Relates to criminal history checks; specifies that a state or governmental entity may obtain the release of limited criminal history for an applicant for employment with the entity; specifies that a school corporation or special education cooperative may obtai... More... WV Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Cannot Suspend for Truancy S.B. 439 Prohibits suspension as discipline for failure to attend class; stipulates other methods of discipline may be used for the pupil which may include, but are not limited to, detention, extra class time or alternative class settings; abolishes corporal punishment... More... AR Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Insulting Language used toward Teachers H.B. 2394 Makes it unlawful for any person to use profane, violent, vulgar, abusive or insulting language toward any public school teacher during the course of his or her duties.... More... AR Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Teacher Negotiation Rights S.B. 979 , Prohibits school boards and their representatives from actively discouraging efforts of teachers to secure negotiation rights.... More... VA Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Employee Drug Offenses H.B. 1862 Suspension of school employees. Provides that school employees who are placed on probation as first offenders for drug offenses are not entitled to any escrowed salary or reinstatement. Under current law, a school employee may be suspended for good and just ca... More... PA Signed into law 12/2000 P-12 Civil Immunity H.B. 1416 Act No. 93 of 2000., Amends the Judiciary and Judicial Procedure Code. Provides for civil immunity of school officers or employees relating to emergency care, first aid and rescue at either public or private schools.... More... CA Vetoed 09/2000 P-12 Monitoring E-Mails S.B. 1822 Prohibits an employer from secretly monitoring the electronic mail or other computer records generated by an employee. Provides that an employer who intends to inspect, review, or retain any electronic mail or any other computer records generated by an employe... More... FL Signed into law 06/2000 P-12 Changing the Rules for School Discipline S.B. 852 Revises the definition of suspension; revises data used to determine school's performance grade category; revises information required to be included in student code of conduct; specifies types of drills and emergencies for which district school boards are req... More... IA Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 Immunity for School Employees H.B. 2473 Relates to school violence; provides civil criminal immunity for a school employee; relates to the employee's participation in reporting and investigating violence, threats of violence, or other inappropriate activity against a school employee or student in a ... More... MN Signed by governor 05/2000 P-12 Use of Reasonable Force by Teacher H.B. 3800 Allows the use of reasonable force by a teacher, school employee, bus driver, or other agent of a school district when it is necessary under the circumstances to restrain a student or prevent bodily harm or death to another. This does not authorize corporal pu... More... WI Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 School Personnel Liability A.B. 100 Protects teachers from being charged criminally when they act reasonably in dealing with disruptive students. Acknowledges a common-law defense that teachers may use reasonable force in dealing with disruptive students.... More... GA Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 Program of Indemnification H.B. 1388, H.R. 971 Act No. 688., Creates a program of indemnification with respect to public school personnel who are killed or permanently disabled by an act of violence in the line of duty; provides for a special and distinctive license plate honoring Georgia educators with re... More... VA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Revocation of License for Cheating H.B. 867 Authorizes the Board of Education to suspend or revoke the teaching or administrative license of any person who knowingly and willfully commits specified acts regarding secure mandatory tests administered to students required by the Code of Virginia or by the ... More... VA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Planning Time H.B. 1517 Requires local school boards to ensure that elementary school teachers in their employment have at least 3 hours during the students' school week for planning time.... More... VA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Reasonable Force H.B. 1229 Provides that the offenses of a simple assault and assault and battery do not include the use of, by any teacher, principal or other person employed by a school board or employed in a school, incidental, minor or reasonable physical contact or other actions de... More...