California Lawmakers Pass Bill to Punish Administrators Who Fail to Vet Teachers for Misconduct

California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi authored a bill, passed by the legislature last week, that would allow the state to punish administrators who fail to fully vet teacher applicants as well as discipline educators who do not disclose their full employment histories when applying for jobs. Rich Pedroncelli/AP California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that school administrators are informed about past accusations of misconduct against teachers as part of their hiring process. The legislation follows a KQED-ProPublica investigation revealing how delays and inaction, combined with a lack of transparency, allowed educators to get new jobs after school districts reported them to the state teacher licensing agency for sexual harassment or other misconduct. Our reporting found that at least 14 educators were hired by new schools after their former employers determined they had sexually harassed students or committed other sexual misconduct. The bill , authored by Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, is an attempt to make sure that doesn’t happen again, adding teeth to background check mandates in place since 2025.