SB114: Bill Text

LRB-1923/1

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 114

February 18, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Larson, Kooyenga, L. Taylor, Johnson, Smith, Carpenter, Bewley, Wirch and Ringhand, cosponsored by Representatives L. Myers, Tranel, Bowen, Pope, Hebl, Vruwink, Emerson, Baldeh, Sinicki, Considine, Billings, Stubbs, Conley, Ohnstad, Neubauer, Goyke, Anderson, Shankland, Shelton, Hesselbein, S. Rodriguez, Subeck, Drake and Andraca. Referred to Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry.

SB114,1,3 An Act relating to: waiving the Foundations of Reading test licensure requirement during a national health emergency declared in response to COVID-19.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under the bill, the requirement that applicants for certain initial teaching licenses pass the Foundations of Reading test does not apply to applications for initial teaching licenses received by the Department of Public Instruction beginning on the date the bill becomes law and ending on the date the national emergency declared by the U.S. president in response to the 2019 novel coronavirus terminates or December 31, 2021, whichever is earlier. Under current law, DPI may not issue a license to an applicant for an initial license to teach grades kindergarten to five, an initial license to teach special education, an initial license as a reading teacher, or an initial license as a reading specialist unless the applicant passes the Foundations of Reading test.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB114,1 Section 1. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB114,2,5 (1) Foundations of Reading test requirements; public health emergency waiver. Beginning on the effective date of this subsection and ending on the date the national emergency declared by the U.S. president under 50 USC 1621 in response to the 2019 novel coronavirus is no longer in effect or on December 31, 2021, whichever is earlier, the requirement under s. 118.19 (14) (a) does not apply to an application for an initial teaching license that is received by the department of public instruction.

SB114,2,6 (End)