| 1 | 1 | | 85R7633 MK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Perry S.B. No. 1210 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of an advisory committee to review special |
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| 8 | 8 | | education programs available in public schools. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 29.0061 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 29.0061. SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM REVIEW ADVISORY |
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| 13 | 13 | | COMMITTEE. (a) In this section, "committee" means the special |
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| 14 | 14 | | education program review advisory committee established under this |
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| 15 | 15 | | section. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The special education program review advisory committee |
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| 17 | 17 | | is established under this section to review special education |
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| 18 | 18 | | services and procedures in public schools. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) The committee is composed of 12 members, appointed as |
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| 20 | 20 | | follows: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) four members appointed by the governor; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) four members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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| 23 | 23 | | and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (3) four members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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| 25 | 25 | | of representatives. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (d) In making appointments under Subsection (c), the |
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| 27 | 27 | | governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of |
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| 28 | 28 | | representatives shall coordinate to ensure the committee includes |
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| 29 | 29 | | at least two members who are related to a child who receives special |
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| 30 | 30 | | education services. The committee must also include stakeholders |
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| 31 | 31 | | with relevant experience with children who receive special |
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| 32 | 32 | | education services. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (e) The governor shall designate the presiding officer of |
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| 34 | 34 | | the committee. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (f) Members of the committee shall be appointed not later |
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| 36 | 36 | | than October 1, 2017. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (g) The committee must meet at least four times at the call |
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| 38 | 38 | | of the presiding officer. Committee members may participate |
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| 39 | 39 | | remotely in a committee meeting through a telephone conference |
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| 40 | 40 | | call. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (h) The agency shall provide administrative support to the |
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| 42 | 42 | | committee. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (i) The committee shall conduct a review of: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (1) the procedure by which a child gains access to |
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| 45 | 45 | | special education programs; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) the admission, review, and dismissal committee |
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| 47 | 47 | | process; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (3) agency procedures for handling complaints |
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| 49 | 49 | | regarding special education programs; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (4) agency training and resources related to the |
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| 51 | 51 | | education of children who have a traumatic brain injury; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (5) the required qualifications for a teacher's aide |
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| 53 | 53 | | that is assigned to a special education program. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (j) Not later than September 1, 2018, the committee shall |
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| 55 | 55 | | submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and each member of |
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| 56 | 56 | | the legislature a report that includes: |
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| 57 | 57 | | (1) a description of the activities of the committee; |
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| 58 | 58 | | (2) the committee's findings in the review under |
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| 59 | 59 | | Subsection (i); and |
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| 60 | 60 | | (3) recommendations for improvements to special |
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| 61 | 61 | | education programs in public schools. |
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| 62 | 62 | | (k) The committee is abolished and this section expires on |
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| 63 | 63 | | December 1, 2018. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 65 | 65 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 66 | 66 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 67 | 67 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 68 | 68 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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