Public Act 130 of 2005

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• Introduced by Rep. Brian Palmer (R) on June 14, 2005, to require school districts and private schools to hold in escrow the pay of any teacher or employee charged with sex crimes, drug crimes, serious crimes of violence and possibly other crimes, pending a decision by the state to revoke the person’s teaching certificate. If the certificate is revoked, the unpaid wages would be forfeited to the school. These provisions would not apply until the expiration of a current teachers’ union contract that does not allow them. The bill also prohibits reinstating the teaching certificate for teachers convicted of certain crimes; expands the list of crimes for which teacher certification revocation is mandatory, requires the Departments of Information Technology, Education and State Police to develop an automated program to regularly cross-check teacher and criminal records.
  • Referred to the House Education Committee on June 14, 2005.
    • Reported in the House on June 21, 2005, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on June 29, 2005, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance of the bill as previously described. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on June 29, 2005.
• Passed in the House (107 to 0) on June 29, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on June 30, 2005.
  • Referred to the Senate Education Committee on June 30, 2005.
    • Reported in the Senate on August 31, 2005, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on August 31, 2005, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that requires school employees to be fingerprinted for criminal background check purposes. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on August 31, 2005.
• Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on August 31, 2005, to require all school employees to be fingerprinted for criminal background check purposes, and to discontinue the pay of any teacher or employee charged with sex crimes, drug crimes, serious crimes of violence and possibly other crimes, pending a decision by the state to revoke the person’s teaching certificate. If the employess is not convicted, back-pay plus interest would be paid. The bill also prohibits reinstating the teaching certificate for teachers convicted of certain crimes; expands the list of crimes for which teacher certification revocation is mandatory; and requires the Departments of Information Technology, Education and State Police to develop an automated program to regularly cross-check teacher and criminal records. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on August 31, 2005.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Brian Palmer (R) on September 13, 2005, to clarify a statutory reference in the finger print collection provisions. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on September 13, 2005.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Brian Palmer (R) on September 13, 2005, to revise details of the provision requring an automated program to regularly cross-check teacher and criminal records. Among other things, the amendment would sunset this provision at the end of 2008, and require the cross-checks be done twice a year, rather than four times a year. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on September 13, 2005.
• Passed in the House (105 to 2) on September 13, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on September 14, 2005, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. Passed in the Senate (38 to 0) on September 14, 2005. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on September 28, 2005.