SB18-229 Summary

• Requires educator preparation program students seeking field experiences in schools to submit fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for criminal history record checks before placement in school districts or charter schools.

• Students must certify under penalty of perjury whether they have been convicted of any felony or misdemeanor (excluding traffic offenses), and provide details of any convictions including date and court information.

• The Department of Education must provide criminal history check results to the educator preparation program and relevant school districts or charter schools within seven days of receiving results from the Bureau.

• Exempts students who have already completed a fingerprint-based criminal history record check under this section from submitting additional fingerprints for nonlicensed positions or educator licensure applications, provided they continuously resided in Colorado since the prior submission.

• Appropriates $34,065 to the Department of Public Safety's biometric identification unit for 0.2 FTE to conduct criminal history record checks for 2018-19 fiscal year.