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Senate Resolution 489
By: Senators Dixon of the 45th, Echols of the 49th, Hickman of the 4th, Harrell of the 40th,
Kirkpatrick of the 32nd and others
A RESOLUTION
Creating the Senate Study Committee on Inclusive Educational Settings for Students with
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Disabilities; and for other purposes.2
WHEREAS, inclusive educational settings can offer substantial short- and long-term benefits3
for students with disabilities; and4
WHEREAS, such benefits include being more likely to be enrolled in secondary and5
postsecondary education and live independently as adults; and6
WHEREAS, such benefits also include improved performance on language and math7
assessments, greater growth in the classroom, improved attendance, and less behavioral8
issues in the classroom; and9
WHEREAS, students with disabilities have traditionally struggled to access inclusive10
educational settings due to misconceptions regarding the capabilities of students with11
disabilities, leading to educators continuing to separate students with disabilities from12
students without disabilities; and13
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WHEREAS, students with disabilities in inclusive educational settings have either neutral
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or positive benefits for students without disabilities; and15
WHEREAS, there is a need to examine the data and benefits of inclusive educational settings16
for students in Georgia.17
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:18
(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee19
on Inclusive Educational Settings for Students with Disabilities.20
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of seven members of the21
Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall22
designate a member of the committee as chairperson of the committee.23
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,24
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or25
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.26
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee27
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or28
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and29
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.30
(5) Allowances and funding.31
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided32
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.33
(B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member34
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds35
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds36
appropriated to the Senate.37
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(6) Report.
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(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that39
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the40
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to41
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.42
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for43
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)44
of this paragraph.45
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of46
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. 47
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with48
the Secretary of the Senate.49
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary50
of the Senate a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.51
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.52
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