SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6581

BYSenators Pullen, Gaspard, Johnson and Smitherman

Exempting employees and prospective employees of vocational-technical institutes from background checks undertaken by the Washington state patrol criminal identification system.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 1, 1988

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6581 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Kiskaddon, Vice Chairman; Bender, Craswell, Gaspard, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Don Bennett (786-7424)

                  February 3, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 1, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Legislation passed in the 1987 session requires background checks of prospective employees of businesses and organizations providing education, training, treatment, supervision, or recreation for developmentally disabled persons or children under sixteen years of age.

Any prospective employee who will or may have unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age or developmentally disabled persons during the course of employment is subject to the background check required by the new law.

The State Board of Education requires applicants for initial certification to undergo a background check through the Washington state patrol criminal identification system at the applicant's expense.

Programs at the state's five public vocational-technical institutes are exclusively provided for students over sixteen years of age.

SUMMARY:

Employees and prospective employees of vocational-technical institutes shall not be subject to background checks required of initial applicants for teacher certification by the State Board of Education.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Applicants for certificates which restrict the holder of the certificate to the teaching of students who are sixteen years of age or older are not subject to background checks required of initial applicants for teacher certification by the State Board of Education.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Senate Committee - Testified: Tim Strege, Washington State Council of Area Vocational-Technical Institutes (for); Chuck Christensen, Washington Federation of Teachers (for); Judy Hartmann, OSPI (for)