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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 361 FILED ON: 1/12/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 418 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Patrick M. O'Connor |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to improve augmentative and alternative communication opportunities for children with |
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| 13 | 13 | | disabilities. |
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| 14 | 14 | | _______________ |
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| 15 | 15 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 16 | 16 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and NorfolkJohn J. Marsi6th Worcester2/13/2025Hannah Kane11th Worcester2/14/2025Ryan C. FattmanWorcester and Hampden2/18/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/18/2025Kimberly N. Ferguson1st Worcester2/20/2025Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/20/2025Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/20/2025John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/28/2025 1 of 1 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 361 FILED ON: 1/12/2025 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 418 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 418) of Patrick M. O'Connor, |
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| 20 | 20 | | John J. Marsi, Hannah Kane, Ryan C. Fattman and other members of the General Court for |
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| 21 | 21 | | legislation to improve augmentative and alternative communication opportunities for children |
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| 22 | 22 | | with disabilities. Education. |
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| 23 | 23 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 24 | 24 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 326 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 25 | 25 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 26 | 26 | | _______________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 29 | 29 | | _______________ |
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| 30 | 30 | | An Act to improve augmentative and alternative communication opportunities for children with |
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| 31 | 31 | | disabilities. |
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| 32 | 32 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 33 | 33 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | 1 Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the board |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2of elementary and secondary education shall repromulgate 603 CMR 7.03(3) as necessary to |
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| 36 | 36 | | 3establish the requirement that all approved programs for teachers include instruction on the |
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| 37 | 37 | | 4appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies; |
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| 38 | 38 | | 5provided further the board may require that individual professional development plans required |
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| 39 | 39 | | 6by section 38G of chapter 71 address the learning needs of students who are nonverbal or have |
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| 40 | 40 | | 7limited speech requiring augmentative and alternative communication. |
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