SF3626

Purpose

This bill establishes an Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact to make it easier for teachers to move and work across member states. The goal is to speed up licensure transfers, support military spouses who relocate, improve sharing of licensure and disciplinary information, and help state and district leaders hire qualified teachers while preserving each state's regulatory authority.

Main Provisions

• Creates the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission, a joint interstate agency made up of member states’ licensing authorities.
• Establishes a streamlined pathway for licensure mobility: a receiving state can grant licenses to teachers from other member states if those teachers hold unencumbered licenses and meet certain criteria.
• Requires each member state to provide a list of eligible licenses it will consider for equivalency under the compact.
• Allows the receiving state to grant licenses that are considered equivalent to those held in other member states, in its sole discretion.
• Special provisions for active military members and eligible military spouses to obtain an equivalent license if they hold an existing license in another member state.
• For career and technical education licenses, the receiving state must grant an equivalent license if the teacher has an unencumbered license, with possible state-specific degree or industry requirements.
• Maintains each state’s authority to require state-specific requirements or additional qualifications for licensure renewal or advancement.
• Enables the exchange of licensure, investigative, and disciplinary information between member states, while protecting the security and confidentiality of those records.
• Requires background checks and any necessary information for compensation determinations when applying under the compact.
• Clarifies that licensure under the compact only applies to the initial grant of a license by the receiving state; ongoing requirements remain under each state’s laws.

Key Features and Definitions

• Definitions include active military member, eligible military spouse, eligible license, unencumbered license, licensing authority, conforming to state practice laws, and other terms essential to how the compact operates.
• The compact preserves state sovereignty over the regulation of the teaching profession.

How Licensure Works Under the Compact

• A teacher with an unencumbered license from a member state applies to the receiving state.
• The receiving state decides which of its eligible licenses the applicant may hold and grants one or more equivalent licenses if appropriate.
• For active military members or eligible military spouses with non-unencumbered licenses, the receiving state grants an equivalent license if possible.
• For career and technical education licenses, the receiving state grants an equivalent license, subject to the receiving state’s degree requirements or state industry standards.

Governance and Rulemaking

• Establishes the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission.
• The commission has the power to adopt bylaws, create a code of ethics, set budgets, maintain finances, and promulgate uniform rules that have the force of law in member states.
• An executive committee (8 voting members) handles interim matters, recommends rule changes, and oversees administration.
• Meetings must be open to the public, with provisions for closed sessions only in specific circumstances (e.g., noncompliance, personnel matters, litigation, or confidential information).
• Rules can be emergency-adopted with rapid notice, then retroactively applied within 90 days.

Information Sharing, Privacy, and Data Exchange

• Facilitates information exchange to administer the compact, while respecting data protection and ownership of licensee information by each state.
• Allows the exchange of disciplinary and investigative information between states, with safeguards and prior notice to the providing state when information is disclosed.

Discipline, Adverse Actions, and Enforcement

• States retain authority to investigate and discipline teachers according to their own laws.
• The commission can receive information about investigations and discipline from other states and enforce rules, including dispute resolution and potential legal action for noncompliance.
• Provisions for default, termination, and possible reinstatement, with processes for notice and remedial actions.

Financing and Immunity

• The commission can seek funds through member-state assessments, donations, and grants.
• The commission can hire staff and enter contracts; it is subject to conflict-of-interest safeguards.
• Members, officers, and staff generally have immunity from certain claims arising from official actions, with exceptions for intentional misconduct.
• The commission may purchase insurance and indemnify members or staff as appropriate.

Effectuation, Withdrawal, and Amendment

• The compact becomes effective when enacted into law by the tenth member state.
• States can withdraw or amend the compact, subject to defined procedures.
• Termination of a member state is possible if it defaults on obligations, with a defined process for cure, notice, and consequences.

Changes to Minnesota Law

• Establishes Minnesota as a participant in a nationwide interstate compact to streamline teacher licensure across member states.
• Creates a framework where Minnesota licensing authorities coordinate with a central Commission, adopt rules, and participate in information sharing while preserving Minnesota’s sovereign authority over teacher licensure standards and disciplines.
• Introduces a pathway to license teachers from other member states, including certain protections and requirements (e.g., background checks, eligibility criteria, and potential state-specific renewal requirements).
• Enables ease of licensure for military spouses moving to Minnesota and for military members relocating under military career progression.

Effective Date

• The compact comes into effect when enacted into law in Minnesota after being enacted by the tenth member state.

Relevant Terms - Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact - Commission - Receiving state - Member state - Licensing authority - Unencumbered license - Eligible license - Eligible military spouse - Active military member - Career and technical education license - Equivalency - License renewal - State practice laws - Adverse action - Background check - Information exchange - Data protection - Open meetings - Executive committee - Bylaws - Rules - Sovereign immunity - Termination - Default - Dispute resolution - Enforcement - Minnesota Statutes chapter 122A - Public policy sovereignty