| 1 | 1 | | By: Meza H.B. No. 4480 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to a study on the use of art therapy in public schools and |
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| 7 | 7 | | on art therapy in higher education. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (1) "Art therapy" means a form of therapy based on |
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| 11 | 11 | | engagement in artistic activities, including visual and performing |
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| 12 | 12 | | arts, as a means of creative expression and symbolic communication |
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| 13 | 13 | | and used as a remedial or diagnostic activity. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (2) "Mental health professional" has the meaning |
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| 15 | 15 | | assigned by Section 61.601, Education Code. |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. STUDY ON ART THERAPY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (a) The |
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| 17 | 17 | | commissioner of education shall establish a task force to study the |
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| 18 | 18 | | utility, efficacy, and feasibility of providing art therapy to |
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| 19 | 19 | | improve the mental health of public school students in this state. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) The commissioner of education shall appoint members of |
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| 21 | 21 | | the task force. The task force must include at least: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) one mental health professional; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) one public school administrator or educator; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (3) one parent of or person standing in parental |
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| 25 | 25 | | relation to a public school student in this state. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) The task force shall prepare a written report that |
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| 27 | 27 | | includes: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) a description of the activities of the task force; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) an analysis of the impact of art therapy on the |
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| 30 | 30 | | mental health of school-aged children; including students with |
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| 31 | 31 | | disabilities. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (3) recommendations for legislative or other action; |
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| 33 | 33 | | and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (4) any other matters the task force considers |
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| 35 | 35 | | appropriate. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) Not later than December 1, 2020, the task force shall |
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| 37 | 37 | | submit the written report to the governor, lieutenant governor, |
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| 38 | 38 | | legislature, and commissioner of education. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. STUDY ON ART THERAPY IN HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) |
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| 40 | 40 | | The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall conduct a study |
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| 41 | 41 | | on the feasibility of institutions of higher education in this |
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| 42 | 42 | | state offering accredited higher education art therapy programs. |
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| 43 | 43 | | The coordinating board shall prepare a written report that: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (1) indicates whether any interest in higher education |
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| 45 | 45 | | art therapy programs exists; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) identifies the challenges an institution of higher |
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| 47 | 47 | | education may face in achieving accreditation for those programs; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (3) includes recommendations for legislative or other |
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| 49 | 49 | | action; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (4) includes any other matter the coordinating board |
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| 51 | 51 | | considers appropriate. |
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| 52 | 52 | | (b) Not later than December 1, 2020, the coordinating board |
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| 53 | 53 | | shall submit the written report to the governor, lieutenant |
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| 54 | 54 | | governor, and legislature. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2021. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 57 | 57 | | 1, 2019. |
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