Teachers’ licensing agency seeks power to impose civil penalties and recover hearing costs; educators raise due‑process concerns

Senate Bill 804 drew extended public testimony and questions Feb. 25 in the Senate Committee on Judiciary as representatives of the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC), school administrators and substitute‑teacher advocates discussed options to fund investigative work and to sanction educators found to have engaged in misconduct.

Melissa Gough, interim executive director of TSPC, said the agency seeks authority to impose civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation and to order a disciplined person to pay costs associated with disciplinary proceedings. Gough said TSPC’s investigations and contested‑case costs are funded by educator licensing fees and that the agency expects Department of Justice legal costs to rise substantially in the next biennium. “Placing a greater burden on those who engage in misconduct will reduce the…