Thank California Lawmakers for Teacher Misconduct Bill

California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to close a dangerous gap in how schools vet teachers. The bill responds directly to a KQED-ProPublica investigation that found at least 14 educators were hired by new schools after their former employers determined they had sexually harassed students or committed other misconduct.

Authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, the bill adds real consequences to a background-check law that has been on the books since 2025 but carried no penalties for administrators who ignored it. Under the new measure, the state's teacher licensing agency can issue public reprimands, or suspend or revoke credentials, for administrators and teachers who fail to comply. "If there aren't any penalties, there are no consequences," Muratsuchi said after the bill passed.

The legislation is a scaled-back version of an earlier proposal that would have created a searchable misconduct database for teacher applicants. That idea drew pushback from teachers unions over privacy concerns, and from the state's own licensing agency, which warned it could expose staff to legal liability. Muratsuchi's revised approach ultimately won the unions' support.

The bill now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto it. Closing this loophole means fewer educators with substantiated misconduct findings can slip quietly into new classrooms.

Add your name to thank California lawmakers for passing this bill, holding administrators accountable, and protecting students from preventable harm.