| 1 | 1 | | By: Bucy H.B. No. 54 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | relating to the establishment of the School Psychologists Shortage |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Task Force. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | (1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | education. |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | (2) "Task force" means the School Psychologists |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Shortage Task Force established under Section 2 of this Act. |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 2. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHORTAGE TASK FORCE. (a) |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | The commissioner shall establish the School Psychologists Shortage |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Task Force to study issues related to the shortage of school |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | psychologists. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (b) The members of the task force must include: |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (1) three members appointed by the lieutenant governor |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | as follows: |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (A) two members of the senate; and |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (B) one licensed specialist in school |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | psychology; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (2) three members appointed by the speaker of the |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | house of representatives as follows: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (A) two members of the house of representatives; |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | and |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (B) one licensed specialist in school |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | psychology; and |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (3) one member of the State Board of Education |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | appointed by the commissioner. |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (c) The Texas Education Agency shall provide administrative |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | support to the task force. |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (d) The commissioner shall appoint a member of the task |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | force to serve as the presiding officer. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (e) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | officer. |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (f) The task force shall: |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (1) conduct a study on the issues related to the |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | shortage of school psychologists among school districts, including |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | supply and demand issues for school-based psychological services |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | among districts; and |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (2) provide recommendations for increasing the |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | presence of school psychologists in school districts and increasing |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | the use of school-based psychological services, as needed. |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2024, the |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | task force shall submit a report to the governor and the legislature |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | that includes the task force's findings and recommendations under |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | this Act. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 4. ABOLITION OF TASK FORCE; EXPIRATION. The task |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | force is abolished and this Act expires January 1, 2026. |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | immediate effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | last day of the legislative session. |
|---|