| 1 | 1 | | 88R2598 BDP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bucy H.B. No. 333 |
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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 establishment of the School Psychologists Shortage |
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| 8 | 8 | | Task Force. |
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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. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of |
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| 12 | 12 | | education. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (2) "Task force" means the School Psychologists |
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| 14 | 14 | | Shortage Task Force established under Section 2 of this Act. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHORTAGE TASK FORCE. (a) |
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| 16 | 16 | | The commissioner shall establish the School Psychologists Shortage |
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| 17 | 17 | | Task Force to study issues related to the shortage of school |
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| 18 | 18 | | psychologists. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The members of the task force must include: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) three members appointed by the lieutenant governor |
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| 21 | 21 | | as follows: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) two members of the senate; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (B) one licensed specialist in school |
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| 24 | 24 | | psychology; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) three members appointed by the speaker of the |
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| 26 | 26 | | house of representatives as follows: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (A) two members of the house of representatives; |
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| 28 | 28 | | and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (B) one licensed specialist in school |
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| 30 | 30 | | psychology; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) one member of the State Board of Education |
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| 32 | 32 | | appointed by the commissioner. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) The Texas Education Agency shall provide administrative |
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| 34 | 34 | | support to the task force. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (d) The commissioner shall appoint a member of the task |
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| 36 | 36 | | force to serve as the presiding officer. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (e) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding |
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| 38 | 38 | | officer. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (f) The task force shall: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (1) conduct a study on the issues related to the |
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| 41 | 41 | | shortage of school psychologists among school districts, including |
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| 42 | 42 | | supply and demand issues for school-based psychological services |
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| 43 | 43 | | among districts; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) provide recommendations for increasing the |
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| 45 | 45 | | presence of school psychologists in school districts and increasing |
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| 46 | 46 | | the use of school-based psychological services, as needed. |
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| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2024, the |
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| 48 | 48 | | task force shall submit a report to the governor and the legislature |
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| 49 | 49 | | that includes the task force's findings and recommendations under |
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| 50 | 50 | | this Act. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 4. ABOLITION OF TASK FORCE; EXPIRATION. The task |
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| 52 | 52 | | force is abolished and this Act expires January 1, 2025. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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| 54 | 54 | | immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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| 55 | 55 | | elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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| 56 | 56 | | Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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| 57 | 57 | | immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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