BILL NUMBER: AB 2171	CHAPTERED  07/06/04

	CHAPTER  106
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JULY 6, 2004
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  JULY 5, 2004
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  JUNE 28, 2004
	PASSED THE SENATE  JUNE 24, 2004
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 19, 2004
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 12, 2004

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Benoit
   (Coauthor:  Assembly Member Dutra)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2004

   An act to amend Section 44265.8 of, and to repeal Section 44265.10
of, the Education Code, relating to teacher credentialing, and
declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2171, Benoit.  Teacher credentialing:  special education.
   Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to
issue a two-year services credential with a specialization in pupil
personnel services, solely for the purpose of counseling deaf and
hearing-impaired pupils as a school counselor or psychologist, to any
prelingually deaf candidate upon medical or other appropriate
professional verification, provided the candidate meets specified
minimum requirements.  This credential authorizes the holder to serve
at all grade levels as a school counselor or psychologist of deaf
and hearing-impaired pupils who are enrolled in state special schools
or in special classes for pupils with hearing impairments.
   This bill would additionally authorize the issuance of this
credential for the purpose of providing services to these pupils as a
school social worker and authorize the holder to similarly serve as
a school social worker.
   This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as
an urgency statute.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 44265.8 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
   44265.8.  (a) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall issue
a two-year services credential with a specialization in pupil
personnel services, solely for the purpose of providing services as a
school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker for
deaf and hearing-impaired pupils, to any prelingually deaf candidate
upon medical or other appropriate professional verifications,
provided the candidate has met the minimum requirements specified in
Section 44266.
   (b) The applicant is exempted from the requirements in Section
44252 and subdivision (b) of Section 44830.
   (c)  For purposes of this section, "prelingually deaf" means
having suffered a hearing loss prior to three years of age that
prevents the processing of linguistic information through hearing,
with or without amplification.
   (d) The services credential issued under this section authorizes
the holder to serve at all grade levels as a school counselor, school
psychologist, or school social worker, as specified on the
credential, for deaf and hearing-impaired pupils who are enrolled in
state special schools or in special classes for pupils with hearing
impairments.
  SEC. 2.  Section 44265.10 of the Education Code is repealed.
  SEC. 3.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect.  The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order that the unique talent and understanding that
prelingually deaf social workers bring to the pupils with whom they
work be available at the earliest possible time, it is necessary that
this act take effect immediately.