Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee refers proposal to give State Superintendent subpoena power to criminal subcommittee after prolonged questioning
Summary
A bill to grant subpoena power to the State Superintendent for teacher‑licensing investigations prompted sustained questions about checks, due process and criminal cross‑over. The committee voted to carry the bill to the criminal subcommittee for further work and scheduled a follow‑up meeting.
A proposal to give the State Superintendent of Education the authority to issue subpoenas during teacher‑licensing investigations was referred to the Judiciary Committee's criminal subcommittee on Wednesday after extended questioning from members concerned about scope and safeguards.
Representative Alban introduced House Bill 498 on behalf of the State Superintendent of Education. She said the Department needs subpoena power during the investigative phase so it can obtain records and witness statements when local employers or school officials will not cooperate. “The Department's legal office and their investigator work together to determine whether the matter should move forward,” Alban said, explaining the change would allow earlier collection of evidence needed to decide whether to pursue action against a license.
Dr. Eric Mackey, State Superintendent of Education, and department lawyers attended the hearing. Tina Hammons, an attorney…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
