JEFFERSON CITY — Earlier this week, lawmakers marked their calendars to return to the State Capitol for a special session that will begin Tuesday, Sept. 6. Added to the governor’s call regarding a list of bills they will debate during special session is a repeal of a specific provision found in Senate Bill 54, sponsored by Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield.
The measure, which was passed by the General Assembly on May 12 and signed by the governor on July 14, is aimed at preventing the sexual abuse of children in public schools. Senate Bill 54 establishes the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children, and requires Missourians who apply for a teaching certificate to complete a criminal background check. The applicant cannot have been listed under the state sexual offender registry or the state child abuse registry.
The legislation also allows a school district in Missouri to discuss information about its employees with another school district. The school district would be liable for damages if it fails to disclose to another school district (upon request) that an employee was dismissed or allowed to resign for reasons of sexual misconduct.
In addition, SB 54 requires all school districts to adopt a teacher/employee-student communications policy by Jan. 1, 2012, to ensure that any online or electronic communications between teachers and students is transparent, allowing school administrators and parents to access exchanges between teachers and students. This is the provision the Legislature will address during the upcoming special session.
Slated to take effect Aug. 28, the bill has been issued an injunction (lasting 180 days), stopping the legislation from taking effect on the same date as a majority of the measures passed by the General Assembly and signed into law.
Among the other issues lawmakers will consider during special session is a measure relating to incentives for businesses to expand or relocate to Missouri, a bill that would move the date of Missouri’s presidential primary, and legislation that would give control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to the City of St. Louis.
The General Assembly can convene for 60 days when the governor calls a special session (Section 20 (a) under Article III), and special sessions can be held back-to-back or congruently.
For more information about the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or e-mail newsroom@senate.mo.gov.
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