SHAPIRO FILES SCHOOL SAFETY ACT

SENATE BILL 9 PROTECTS STUDENTS & TEACHERS FROM SEX OFFENDERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

AUSTIN, TX -- Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-District 8, today filed Senate Bill 9, the School Safety Act, which protects Texas students and teachers in public schools from registered sex offenders and criminals convicted of a felony offense against a child.

Senate Bill 9 would require that every public school employee -- both certified and non-certified personnel -- submit fingerprints for a national criminal history background check. In addition, it would create a clearinghouse for this information to be shared between school districts when an employee transfers to another employer.

"Nothing is more important than our children's safety and security," Shapiro said. "When we send our children off to school each morning, we take for granted they will be out of harm's way, when in reality, they could be heading directly into the clutches of an offender. By conducting criminal background checks on all public school employees, we are one step closer to ensuring Texas schools are a safe haven for our children."

Senate Bill 9 contains the following key elements:

• Requiring national criminal background checks of all school employees;
• Prohibiting anyone convicted of a sex offense or felony against a child from being employed at a public school;
• Flagging an educator's certificate for this type of misconduct, to alert other potential employers;
• Creating a statewide clearinghouse of criminal background information available to state agencies and school districts;
• Improving communication between state and local school officials and law enforcement authorities through the sharing of information in a timely manner.

Forty-three other states require national criminal background checks for certified educators. Currently, Texas only requires checks for those certified since 2003. Since that time, more than 200 candidates for certification have been found to have serious offenses on their records, including sexual misconduct and crimes against children. As recently as 2004-2005, the State Board of Educator Certification found that 66 certified teachers were registered sex offenders.

"Understanding that a background check is just that--a history of past offenses--this measure can only tell us of dangers currently in our schools; not predict future offenses," Shapiro said. "But this inclusion of all employees will certainly give us a more efficient and effective system for the children of Texas."

Senate Bill 9 ensures that both the state and school districts have the information to make wise decisions about the individuals they employ in a timely manner. The legislation would prohibit employment for individuals convicted of serious offenses when the victim of the crime was a child.

"We must be diligent in our pursuit of child safety, and provide the safest public school system we possibly can," Shapiro said.