A. The "educator licensure fund" is created in the state treasury and shall be administered by the department. The fund shall consist of money collected from application fees for licensure or for renewal of licensure by the department.

B. Subject to legislative appropriation, money in the fund is appropriated to the department for the following purposes:

(1) to fund the educator background check program;

(2) to enforce educator ethics requirements; and

(3) to process applications for licensure or for renewal of licensure, including review of professional development dossiers.

C. Money in the fund and any interest that may accrue to the fund shall not revert at the end of the fiscal year but shall remain to the credit of the fund.

History: Laws 1997, ch. 238, § 6; 1978 Comp., § 22-10-4.1, recompiled and amended as § 22-8-44 by Laws 2003, ch. 153, § 31; 2009, ch. 63, § 1.

Recompilations. — Laws 2003, ch. 153, § 31 recompiled former 22-10-4.1 NMSA 1978 as 22-8-44 NMSA 1978, effective April 4, 2003.

The 2009 amendment, effective July 1, 2009, in Subsection A, changed "state board" to "department"; in Subsection B, added "Subject to legislative appropriation" and "for the following purposes"; and added Paragraphs (2) and (3) of Subsection B.

The 2003 amendment, effective April 4, 2003, substituted "licensure" for "certification" in the catchline; in Subsection A, substituted "licensure" for "certification" three times, deleted "state" preceding "department" near the end of the first sentence, and deleted "of public education" at the end of the first sentence; and in Subsection B, deleted "state" preceding "department" near the beginning and substituted "to fund" for "of public education for the purpose of funding" near the middle.