HOUSE BILL NO. 1109 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 11, 2006 A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-296.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to background checks for public school contract employees; penalty. ----------
Patrons-- Athey, Byron, Cosgrove, Crockett-Stark, Fralin, Frederick, Gear, Gilbert, Iaquinto, Janis, Jones, S.C., Kilgore, Landes, O'Bannon, Rapp, Saxman, Sherwood, Wittman and Wright
---------- Referred to Committee on Education ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 22.1-296.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-296.1. Data on convictions for certain crimes and child abuse and neglect required; penalty.

A. As a condition of employment for all of its public school employees, whether full-time or part-time, permanent, or temporary, or on a contract basis, every school board shall require on its application for employment certification (i) that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony or any offense involving the sexual molestation, physical or sexual abuse or rape of a child; and (ii) whether the applicant has been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude. Any person making a materially false statement regarding any such offense shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and upon conviction, the fact of said conviction shall be grounds for the Board of Education to revoke such person's license to teach.

B. Every school board shall also require on its application for employment, as a condition of employment requiring direct contact with students, whether full-time or part-time, permanent, or temporary, certification that the applicant has not been the subject of a founded case of child abuse and neglect.