05 LC 22
5725
House
Bill 215
By:
Representatives Buckner of the
76th,
Reece of the
11th,
Barnes of the
78th,
Jamieson of the
28th,
Hudson of the
124th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to elementary and secondary education, so as to protect students from unethical
behavior; to provide for the adoption of codes of ethics by local boards of
education; to provide for annual review of such codes of ethics; to require a
prompt request for a criminal record check for a newly hired teacher, principal,
or other certificated professional employee; to provide for related matters;
to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary
and secondary education, is amended by inserting a new Code section to be
designated Code Section 20-2-71 to read as follows:
"20-2-71.
Each
local board of education shall adopt a policy providing for a code of ethics to
govern members of the local board of education. Each local board of education
shall review its code of ethics annually and shall announce such review and any
changes in the code of ethics at regular meetings of the board. No person may
serve as a local board of education member who has had any certificate issued by
the Professional Standards Commission suspended in whole or in part upon any
commission finding that the person has failed to maintain a professional
relationship with
students."
SECTION
2.
Said
chapter is further amended by striking paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of Code
Section 20-2-211, relating to annual contracts of teachers, principals, and
other certificated professional personnel, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"(e)(1)
All personnel employed by a local unit of administration
after July
1, 2000, whether or not such personnel
hold certificates from the Professional Standards Commission, shall be
fingerprinted and have a criminal record check made as required by this
subsection.
The local unit
of administration shall request the criminal record check within ten working
days following the date of hire. The local
unit of administration shall have the authority to employ a person holding such
a certificate under a provisional or temporary contract for a maximum of 200
days and to employ a person who does not hold such a certificate for a maximum
of 200 days, in order to allow for the receipt of the results of the criminal
record check. Teachers, principals, and other certificated personnel whose
employment in a local unit of administration is renewed pursuant to this subpart
after July
1, 2000, shall have a criminal record
check made as required by this subsection upon any certificate renewal
application to the Professional Standards Commission. The local unit of
administration shall adopt policies to provide for the subsequent criminal
record checks of noncertificated personnel continued in employment in the local
unit of
administration."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.