(a) Whenever the holder of a credential issued by the state board or the Commission on Teacher Credentialing has been convicted of a sex offense, as defined in Section 44010, or controlled substance offense, as defined in Section 44011, the commission immediately shall suspend the credential. If the conviction is reversed and the holder is acquitted of the offense in a new trial or the charges against him or her are dismissed, the commission immediately shall terminate the suspension of the credential. When the conviction becomes final or when imposition of sentence is suspended, the commission immediately shall revoke the credential.

(b) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) and Section 44009, if the holder of a credential enters a plea of nolo contendere for a violation of subdivision (d) of § 647 of the Penal Code, the commission of a sex offense as defined in Section 44010, all credentials held by the individual shall be suspended until a final disposition regarding those credentials is made by the commission. Any action that the commission is permitted to take following a conviction may be taken after the time for appeal has elapsed, the judgment of conviction has been confirmed on appeal, or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence and the time of appeal has elapsed or the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal, irrespective of a subsequent order pursuant to § 1203.4 of the Penal Code.

Terms Used In California Education Code 44425

  • Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(2) The Legislature shall convene a working group of interested parties including, but not limited to, the commission, civil rights organizations, and organizations that represent teachers, administrators, county offices of education, school districts, school boards, and parents to study Sections 44010, 44011, and 44424, and to provide a report on its findings on or before December 1, 2009.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law, revocation shall be final without possibility of reinstatement of the credential if the conviction is for a felony sex offense, as defined in Section 44010, or a felony controlled substance offense, as defined in Section 44011, in which an element of the controlled substance offense is either the distribution to, or use of a controlled substance by, a minor.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commission immediately shall suspend the credential of any holder who is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to either of the following:

(A) § 290 of the Penal Code.

(B) A law of any other state or of the United States when the underlying offense, if committed in this state, would require registration as a sex offender pursuant to § 290 of the Penal Code.

(2) If the conviction requiring registration as a sex offender is reversed on appeal and the holder is acquitted at a new trial or if the charges against the holder are dismissed as a result of the reversal, upon notice, the commission shall immediately reinstate the credential.

(3) The commission immediately shall revoke a credential based on a conviction requiring registration as a sex offender when the time for appeal has elapsed, the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal, or an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence and the time for appeal has elapsed.

(e) A credential holder whose credential has not been revoked pursuant to subdivision (a) as a result of a misdemeanor sex offense, as defined in Section 44010, that does not require registration as a sex offender as set forth in subdivision (c), may apply for reinstatement of his or her credential pursuant to § 11522 of the Government Code if the accusation or information against the holder has been dismissed and he or she has been released from all disabilities and penalties resulting from the offense pursuant to § 1203.4 of the Penal Code or the equivalent statute in another federal or state jurisdiction.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 577, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2009.)

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