Purpose

• Establishes the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact to improve the ability of teachers to move and work across member states. The goal is to create a streamlined licensure pathway, support military spouses, and enhance the sharing of licensure, investigative, and disciplinary information between states while preserving state control over teaching standards.

Main provisions (what the bill does)

• Creates a compact commission (the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission) made up of one voting commissioner from each member state to run the program.
• Sets up a framework for licensure across member states, focusing on granting licenses that are equivalent to licenses held in other member states.
• Requires receiving states to determine which of their licenses are equivalent to the applicant’s license and grant unencumbered licenses when possible.
• Includes special provisions for active military members and eligible military spouses moving between states, to receive equivalent licenses.
• Allows career and technical education licenses to be recognized, with some requirements optional depending on state policy (e.g., bachelor’s degree requirements).
• Keeps each state’s own licensure rules in place (state practice laws), and permits state-specific requirements for licensure renewal and advancement.
• Establishes rules for exchanging licensure and disciplinary information between states, with protections for confidentiality.
• Enables action for adverse actions or disciplinary measures under each state’s own laws, while allowing cross-state information sharing.
• Creates a system for funding and operating the compact, including budgets, annual assessments, and allowable gifts or donations.
• Provides for emergency rules when needed, and specifies how disputes and enforcement are handled, including potential court cases.

How licensure works under the compact

• An applicant must hold an unencumbered license in a member state to be eligible for licensure under the compact.
• The receiving state decides which of its eligible licenses the applicant may hold and grants those licenses if appropriate (the decision is at the receiving state’s sole discretion).
• If the applicant holds an unencumbered license, the receiving state must grant one or more unencumbered licenses equivalent to the licenses held in other member states.
• For active military members or eligible military spouses with licenses that are not unencumbered, the receiving state must grant an equivalent license if possible.
• The process includes criminal background checks in the receiving state and may require additional information for compensation purposes, where applicable.

Key definitions (quick reference)

• Active military member, Eligible military spouse, Receiving state, Member state, Unencumbered license, Eligible license, Career and technical education license, Licensing authority, Commission, By-laws, Rules, State practice laws, Adverse action, Equivalency, Nonmember/Member states.

Governance, rules, and funding

• The Commission has the power to issue uniform rules that are binding in all member states and to oversee the compact’s administration.
• An executive committee handles key governance tasks, including budget and compliance monitoring.
• Rules can be emergency-adopted with fast timelines, and member states can reject rules by enacting their own statutes within four years.
• Financing includes annual assessments on member states, gifts, donations, and the ability to borrow or contract for services; the commission must avoid conflicts of interest and maintain proper financial records.
• The Commission and its members have immunity and are protected when acting in scope, with provisions for defense and indemnification.
• Meetings are public unless closed for specified reasons (e.g., noncompliance, personnel matters, or legal matters).

Oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement

• Enforcement of the compact is shared by member states and the commission; disputes can be resolved through binding or nonbinding processes, including court action if necessary.
• Defaulting or terminating a state is possible after due process and remedies have been attempted, with financial obligations carrying over to the termination date.
• The compact provides for service of process on the commission and for venue in the appropriate federal district, with opportunities to appeal.
• Courts and agencies in member states must recognize the compact and its rules in related proceedings.

Effective date and amendments

• The compact becomes effective when it is enacted into law in the tenth member state.
• The compact can be amended or withdrawn as provided by its rules and the participating states’ laws.

What this means for Minnesota

• Minnesota would add a new nationwide framework aimed at making it easier for Minnesota teachers to work in other member states and for teachers from other member states to work in Minnesota, subject to Minnesota licensing authority review.
• Minnesota would participate in cross-state licensure decisions, maintain its own standards for licensure renewals, and share (with safeguards) licensure and disciplinary information with other member states.
• The bill emphasizes preserving Minnesota’s sovereignty over teaching standards while enabling mobility, with specific attention to military spouses and the potential for career and technical education license recognition.

Relevant to the bill’s approach is broader cross-state licensing, the concept of an “unencumbered license,” the role of the Commission and its rules (binding in Minnesota), and mechanisms for discipline, data sharing, and enforcement.

Relevant Terms - Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact - Commission - member state - receiving state - unencumbered license - eligible license - active military member - eligible military spouse - licensing authority - rules - bylaws - equivalency - career and technical education license - state practice laws - adverse action - disciplinary information - information exchange - executive committee - immunity and indemnification - default and termination - enforcement - emergency rule - data protection / licensee information - funding and assessments - public meetings - sovereign immunity - venue and service of process - effective date of compact