HF5072

Purpose

This bill would remove the processing fee for lifetime substitute teaching license applications. It keeps existing fee rules for other licenses and adds that background study costs may still apply.

Main Provisions

• For most teaching licenses, applicants must pay a processing fee of 57, paid to the executive secretary of the appropriate board and deposited in the state treasury. These fees are nonrefundable if the applicant does not qualify for a license. The commissioner of management and budget must refund a fee if the applicant already holds a valid unexpired license. The board may waive or reduce fees for applicants who apply at the same time for more than one license.
• For lifetime qualified short-call or long-call substitute teaching licenses, the board must not require a processing fee.
• The board may require payment for a required background study as described in section 122A.18 subdivision 8.
• The existing rules about fees for licenses (including supervisory personnel) remain in place.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds an exception to the licensure fee rule: lifetime qualified short-call and long-call substitute teaching license applications do not require a processing fee.
• Continues to allow background study costs to be charged, and maintains other fee provisions for non-substitute licenses and for multiple-license scenarios.

Practical Implications

• Substitute teachers seeking a lifetime substitute license would save the processing fee upfront, reducing barriers to obtaining that license.
• Other license applicants would still face the $57 processing fee, plus any applicable background study costs and the refund/waiver provisions.

Terminology Inclusion

• Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board
• lifetime qualified short-call substitute teaching license
• lifetime substitute teaching license
• short-call substitute
• long-call substitute
• processing fee
• $57
• background study
• section 122A.18 subdivision 8
• Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 122A.21 subdivision 1
• executive secretary
• state treasury
• commissioner of management and budget
• waivers
• multiple licenses

Relevant Terms

• Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board
• lifetime substitute teaching license
• short-call substitute
• long-call substitute
• processing fee
• background study
• 122A.18 subdivision 8
• 122A.21 subdivision 1
• executive secretary
• state treasury
• commissioner of management and budget
• waivers
• multiple licenses