1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a legislative task force to review the legislative 
1.3 	auditor's 2016 report on teacher licensure and consider how to implement the 
1.4 	recommendations.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON TEACHER LICENSURE.
 1.7 	(a) A 12-member legislative task force on teacher licensure is created to review the 
1.8 	2016 report prepared by the Office of the Legislative Auditor on the Minnesota teacher 
1.9 	licensure program and submit a written report by February 1, 2017, to the legislature 
1.10 	recommending how to restructure Minnesota's teacher licensure system by consolidating 
1.11 	all teacher licensure activities into a single state entity to ensure transparency and 
1.12 	consistency or, at a minimum, clarify existing teacher licensure responsibilities to provide 
1.13 	transparency and consistency. In developing its recommendations, the task force must 
1.14 	consider the tiered licensure system recommended in the legislative auditor's report, 
1.15 	among other recommendations. The task force must identify and include in its report any 
1.16 	statutory changes needed to implement the task force recommendations.
1.17 	(b) The legislative task force on teacher licensure includes:
1.18 	(1) six duly elected and currently serving senators, three appointed by the senate 
1.19 	majority leader and three appointed by the senate minority leader; and
1.20 	(2) six duly elected and currently serving members of the house of representatives, 
1.21 	three appointed by the speaker and three appointed by the house minority leader.
1.22 	Only duly elected and currently serving members of the senate or house of representatives 
1.23 	may be task force members.
2.1 	(c) The appointments must be made by June 1, 2016, and expire February 2, 2017. If 
2.2 	a vacancy occurs, the leader of the caucus in the house or senate to which the vacating 
2.3 	task force member belonged must fill the vacancy. A senate member appointed by the 
2.4 	senate majority leader shall convene the first meeting of the task force. The task force 
2.5 	shall elect a chair or cochairs from among the members at the first meeting. The task force 
2.6 	must meet periodically. The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide technical 
2.7 	and administrative assistance upon request.
2.8 	(d) In reviewing the legislative auditor's report and developing its recommendations, 
2.9 	the task force must consult with interested and affected stakeholders, including 
2.10 	representatives of the Board of Teaching, Minnesota Department of Education, Education 
2.11 	Minnesota, MinnCAN, Minnesota Business Partnership, Minnesota Rural Education 
2.12 	Association, Association of Metropolitan School Districts, Minnesota Association of 
2.13 	Colleges for Teacher Education, College of Education and Human Development at 
2.14 	the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota 
2.15 	Private College Council, Minnesota School Boards Association, Minnesota Elementary 
2.16 	School Principals' Association, Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, 
2.17 	Minnesota Association of School Administrators, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the 
2.18 	Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, 
2.19 	Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, Minnesota Association of Educators, and Minnesota 
2.20 	Teach For America, among other stakeholders.
2.21 	(e) The task force expires February 2, 2017, unless extended by law.

2.22 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.