2023 -- S 0489
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LC001736
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Murray, Lawson, DiPalma, Gallo, Euer, and Valverde
Date Introduced: March 07, 2023
Referred To: Senate Education
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 16-24 of the General Laws entitled "Children With Disabilities [See 1
Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding 2
thereto the following section: 3
16-24-19. Special Education local advisory committees. 4
(a) Every public school district shall, on the district’s website: 5
(1) Post and maintain either a link to the website of the district’s special education local 6
advisory committee (the “committee”), or provide the contact information for the committee; and 7
(2) Post or otherwise list the dates of meetings of the committee during the school year. 8
(b) All districts shall maintain and promote committees that are active. As used herein, the 9
term “active” means that the committee meets at least four (4) times per year during the school 10
year; provided, one of these four (4) meetings may take place during the summer months if the 11
district operates an extended school year program for students with disabilities. A parent, guardian, 12
or other adult legally responsible adult of a student in a district where the committee is not active 13
may notify the school superintendent as to this lack of an active committee, on a written notice 14
form (“notice”) prepared by the district. Upon receipt of a notice under this section, the district 15
superintendent and the director of special education shall investigate the notice to determine if the 16
committee is or is not active. If the committee is not active, the district shall investigate why the 17
committee is not active and shall undertake efforts to make the committee active. 18
(c) At every meeting with a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult (“responsible 19
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adult”) of a student who is disabled, which meeting involves a review, modification, or continuation 1
of that student’s individual education program or 504 plan, the district shall provide a written notice 2
to the responsible adult which informs the responsible adult of the provisions to this section, 3
including, but not limited to, the contact information for the committee and the dates of scheduled 4
meetings. 5
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 6
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
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This act would require public school districts to take certain actions to promote notice and 1
disseminate information regarding the district’s special education local advisory committee. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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LC001736
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