Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1017 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1017
	1	+	By: Powell, et al. S.B. No. 1017
	2	+	(Guerra)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to the creation of the advisory council on postsecondary
6	8		education for persons with intellectual and developmental
7	9		disabilities.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. Section 61.0663(b), Education Code, is amended
10	12		to read as follows:
11	13		(b) The board shall:
12	14		(1) post the inventory on the board's Internet website
13	15		in an easily identifiable and accessible location;
14	16		(2) submit the inventory to the Texas Education Agency
15	17		for inclusion in the transition and employment guide under Section
16	18		29.0112; and
17	19		(3) update the inventory at least annually [once every
18	20		two years].
19	21		SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
20	22		amended by adding Section 61.06641 to read as follows:
21	23		Sec. 61.06641. ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR PERSONS WITH
22	24		INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES; ADVISORY COUNCIL.
23	25		(a) The board, with the assistance of the advisory council
24	26		established under this section, shall:
25	27		(1) periodically review the policies and practices
26	28		that increase access to higher education opportunities for persons
27	29		with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and
28	30		(2) distribute educational outreach materials
29	31		developed by the advisory council to increase awareness regarding
30	32		postsecondary opportunities for persons with intellectual and
31	33		developmental disabilities.
32	34		(b) The board shall establish an advisory council on
33	35		postsecondary education for persons with intellectual and
34	36		developmental disabilities, in accordance with Section 61.026, to
35	37		advise the board on policies and practices to improve postsecondary
36	38		education opportunities for persons with intellectual and
37	39		developmental disabilities.
38	40		(c) The advisory council is composed of the following
39	41		members appointed as follows:
40	42		(1) one member appointed by the executive director of
41	43		the Texas Workforce Commission;
42	44		(2) one member appointed by the commissioner of the
43	45		Texas Education Agency;
44	46		(3) a representative of the continuing advisory
45	47		committee established under Section 29.006 appointed by the
46	48		governor; and
47	49		(4) the following members appointed by the board:
48	50		(A) a representative of a University Centers for
49	51		Excellence in Developmental Disabilities program in this state;
50	52		(B) a representative of a disability advocacy
51	53		group;
52	54		(C) a parent or guardian of a person with an
53	55		intellectual or developmental disability;
54	56		(D) a parent or guardian of a person with an
55	57		intellectual or developmental disability who is currently enrolled
56	58		in an institution of higher education;
57	59		(E) a person with an intellectual or
58	60		developmental disability enrolled in an institution of higher
59	61		education;
60	62		(F) a person with an intellectual or
61	63		developmental disability who has completed a program at an
62	64		institution of higher education;
63	65		(G) a high school counselor;
64	66		(H) a specialist in the transition to employment
65	67		from a regional education service center, school district, or other
66	68		state agency; and
67	69		(I) additional representatives with relevant
68	70		experience, as needed.
69	71		(d) Members of the advisory council serve two-year terms.
70	72		(e) A member of the advisory council is not entitled to
71	73		compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
72	74		necessary expenses incurred by the member while conducting the
73	75		business of the advisory council.
74	76		(f) The members of the advisory council shall elect a
75	77		presiding officer from among the membership.
76	78		(g) The advisory council shall:
77	79		(1) study the accessibility of higher education for
78	80		persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities;
79	81		(2) provide advice regarding resolving barriers to
80	82		accessing higher education for persons with intellectual and
81	83		developmental disabilities; and
82	84		(3) identify, evaluate, and develop recommendations
83	85		to address barriers to accessing higher education for persons with
84	86		intellectual and developmental disabilities who are or have been in
85	87		the foster care system and any data collection issues in relation to
86	88		those persons.
87	89		(h) The advisory council shall meet at least quarterly at
88	90		the call of the presiding officer.
89	91		(i) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any
90	92		other law, the advisory council may meet by telephone conference
91	93		call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method.
92	94		A meeting held by telephone conference call, videoconference, or
93	95		other similar telecommunication method is subject to the
94	96		requirements of Sections 551.125(c)-(f), Government Code.
95	97		(j) The advisory council shall submit a report to the board
96	98		annually, at a time determined by the board. The report must
97	99		include information regarding:
98	100		(1) the advisory council's activities;
99	101		(2) any relevant rule changes necessary to decrease
100	102		barriers to accessing higher education for persons with
101	103		intellectual and developmental disabilities; and
102	104		(3) recommendations for potential outreach and
103	105		education materials to increase public awareness of the
104	106		availability of higher education opportunities and resources for
105	107		persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities,
106	108		including information regarding available grants, loan programs,
107	109		and other resources that may require statewide outreach efforts.
108	110		(k) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
109	111		the advisory council shall provide a report to the board and to the
110	112		governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
111	113		representatives, the members of the legislature, and, as necessary,
112	114		other state agencies or relevant stakeholders. The report must
113	115		include:
114	116		(1) historic and current higher education data and
115	117		related information regarding persons with intellectual and
116	118		developmental disabilities, including:
117	119		(A) graduation rates;
118	120		(B) the geographic distribution of institutions
119	121		of higher education providing appropriate opportunities;
120	122		(C) a description of available programs; and
121	123		(D) any other relevant data; and
122	124		(2) recommendations for changes to support success and
123	125		achievement for persons with intellectual and developmental
124	126		disabilities in accessing higher education, including
125	127		recommendations for:
126	128		(A) addressing gaps in data; and
127	129		(B) identifying problems with and barriers to
128	130		accessing higher education.
129	131		(l) The board shall provide administrative support for the
130	132		advisory council.
131	133		SECTION 3. (a) Not later than January 1, 2020, the
132	134		appropriate appointing authorities shall appoint the members to the
133	135		advisory council on postsecondary education for persons with
134	136		intellectual and developmental disabilities as required by Section
135	137		61.06641, Education Code, as added by this Act.
136	138		(b) Not later than December 1, 2020, the advisory council on
137	139		postsecondary education for persons with intellectual and
138	140		developmental disabilities shall complete the initial reports
139	141		required under Sections 61.06641(j) and (k), Education Code, as
140	142		added by this Act.
141	143		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
142	144		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
143	145		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
144	146		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
145	147		Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
146		-	______________________________ ______________________________
147		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
148		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1017 passed the Senate on
149		-	April 10, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that
150		-	the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 25, 2019, by the
151		-	following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
152		-	______________________________
153		-	Secretary of the Senate
154		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1017 passed the House, with
155		-	amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 144,
156		-	Nays 0, one present not voting.
157		-	______________________________
158		-	Chief Clerk of the House
159		-	Approved:
160		-	______________________________
161		-	Date
162		-	______________________________
163		-	Governor