H117 Summary: Protect Students in Schools

• Requires local boards of education and charter schools to adopt policies mandating criminal history checks for all applicants for school personnel positions before offering unconditional employment, with checks conducted by consumer reporting agencies, the Department of Public Safety, or both.

• Prohibits school boards and charter schools from requiring applicants or employees to pay for criminal history checks or fingerprinting; individuals who refuse to consent to a criminal history check cannot be employed or contracted with.

• Allows superintendents to suspend teachers without pay without a prior in-person meeting if the teacher is incarcerated or in custody of a correctional facility, but requires written notice of charges and opportunity to respond in writing.

• Requires local boards of education and charter schools to report to the State Board of Education when a teacher's resignation is related to criminal history, regardless of whether the teacher provided 30 days' notice.

• Effective when enacted and applies to employment applications received on or after January 1, 2018.