Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H6377 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 6377
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7	7	LC002942
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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14	14	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
15	15	MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $600,000 FOR AN INDEPENDENT STATE
16	16	OMBUDSMAN OFFICE TO FACILITATE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION
17	17	PROGRAM (IEP)/504 SERVICE PROGRAM
18	18	Introduced By: Representative Lauren H. Carson
19	19	Date Introduced: May 05, 2023
20	20	Referred To: House Finance
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23	23	WHEREAS, To assist special education planning teams reach agreements, facilitated 1
24	24	Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings are often a beneficial tool, that is in the best 2
25	25	interest of the student, and helps to avoid entering into a formal dispute resolution; and 3
26	26	WHEREAS, In order to guide the process successfully, an independent State 4
27	27	Ombudsman office with a trained IEP or 504 meeting Facilitator is essential to the process when 5
28	28	an impasse has arisen or meetings are expected to be contentious; and 6
29	29	WHEREAS, A facilitator helps keep members of the team focused on the development of 7
30	30	the IEP/504, and encourages cooperation and enhanced communication, while addressing 8
31	31	conflicts and disagreements that have occurred before or that may emerge during the meeting; 9
32	32	and 10
33	33	WHEREAS, Funding for an independent State Ombudsman office for a Facilitated 11
34	34	Individualized Education Program would provide for: 12
35	35	• A Program coordinator and scheduling assistant, to direct and manage 13
36	36	appropriation funding and Facilitator scheduling; 14
37	37	• IEP/504 Facilitator(s) and/or part-time Facilitator(s), based on the number of IEP 15
38	38	or 504 plans that may require facilitation, as recommended by RIDE; and 16
39	39	• A training program for Facilitators and members of IEP/504 teams to best utilize 17
40	40	the program; now, therefore be it 18
41	41	RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not 19
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44	44	LC002942 - Page 2 of 3
45	45	otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2023-2024, the sum of six hundred thousand dollars 1
46	46	($600,000) for an independent State Ombudsman office to provide for a facilitated Individualized 2
47	47	Education Program; and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders 3
48	48	upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum, or so much thereof as may be from time 4
49	49	to time required, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers. 5
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51	51	LC002942
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55	55	LC002942 - Page 3 of 3
56	56	EXPLANATION
57	57	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
58	58	OF
59	59	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
60	60	MAKING AN APPROPRIAT ION OF $600,000 FOR AN INDEPENDENT STATE
61	61	OMBUDSMAN OFFICE TO FACILITATE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION
62	62	PROGRAM (IEP)/504 SERVICE PROGRAM
63	63	***
64	64	This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $600,000 for an 1
65	65	independent State Ombudsman office to provide for a facilitated Individualized Education 2
66	66	Program. 3
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68	68	LC002942
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