| 1 | 1 | | 84R8079 MK-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Leach H.B. No. 1404 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of a committee to evaluate special |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | education services in public schools. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 29.022 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 29.022. SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES EVALUATION |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | COMMITTEE. (a) A committee is established under this section to |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | examine, review, and evaluate the provision of special education |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | services by public school districts in the state. |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (b) The commissioner, in collaboration with the lieutenant |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | governor and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | appoint members of the committee. The committee shall be composed |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | of: |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (1) one member of the house of representatives; |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (2) one member of the senate; |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (3) one superintendent of a school district; |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (4) one special education teacher; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (5) three parents of students who receive special |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | education services from a school district; |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (6) one physician who is a doctor of medicine; and |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (7) one attorney who specializes in education law. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (c) The commissioner, in collaboration with the lieutenant |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | governor and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | designate a member of the committee to serve as presiding officer. |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (d) The commissioner, in collaboration with the lieutenant |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | governor and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | appoint the members of the committee not later than November 1, |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 2015. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (e) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | the committee on or before December 1, 2015. The committee shall |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | are appropriate. The committee shall adopt rules necessary to |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | fulfill the committee's duties under this section. |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (f) Members of the committee serve without compensation. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (g) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | committee. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (h) The committee shall: |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (1) evaluate the compliance of each public school |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | district with current laws and rules related to special education |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | services; and |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (2) review current laws and rules related to special |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | education services in public schools and recommend changes or |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | improvements to the laws or rules. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | (i) Not later than November 1, 2016, the committee shall |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | deliver a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | the house of representatives, and appropriate committees of the |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | legislature that includes: |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | (1) a description of the activities of the committee; |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | (2) the findings and recommendations of the committee, |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | including any proposed policy and research recommendations; and |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | (3) any proposals for legislation or other matters the |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | committee considers appropriate. |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | (j) The committee is abolished and this section expires |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | December 1, 2016. |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|---|