Bill Text: TX HB1404 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of a committee to evaluate special education services in public schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-09 - Referred to Public Education [HB1404 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB1404-Introduced.html
| 84R8079 MK-D | ||
| By: Leach | H.B. No. 1404 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the creation of a committee to evaluate special | ||
| education services in public schools. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 29.022 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 29.022. SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES EVALUATION | ||
| COMMITTEE. (a) A committee is established under this section to | ||
| examine, review, and evaluate the provision of special education | ||
| services by public school districts in the state. | ||
| (b) The commissioner, in collaboration with the lieutenant | ||
| governor and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall | ||
| appoint members of the committee. The committee shall be composed | ||
| of: | ||
| (1) one member of the house of representatives; | ||
| (2) one member of the senate; | ||
| (3) one superintendent of a school district; | ||
| (4) one special education teacher; | ||
| (5) three parents of students who receive special | ||
| education services from a school district; | ||
| (6) one physician who is a doctor of medicine; and | ||
| (7) one attorney who specializes in education law. | ||
| (c) The commissioner, in collaboration with the lieutenant | ||
| governor and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall | ||
| designate a member of the committee to serve as presiding officer. | ||
| (d) The commissioner, in collaboration with the lieutenant | ||
| governor and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall | ||
| appoint the members of the committee not later than November 1, | ||
| 2015. | ||
| (e) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of | ||
| the committee on or before December 1, 2015. The committee shall | ||
| meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines | ||
| are appropriate. The committee shall adopt rules necessary to | ||
| fulfill the committee's duties under this section. | ||
| (f) Members of the committee serve without compensation. | ||
| (g) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the | ||
| committee. | ||
| (h) The committee shall: | ||
| (1) evaluate the compliance of each public school | ||
| district with current laws and rules related to special education | ||
| services; and | ||
| (2) review current laws and rules related to special | ||
| education services in public schools and recommend changes or | ||
| improvements to the laws or rules. | ||
| (i) Not later than November 1, 2016, the committee shall | ||
| deliver a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of | ||
| the house of representatives, and appropriate committees of the | ||
| legislature that includes: | ||
| (1) a description of the activities of the committee; | ||
| (2) the findings and recommendations of the committee, | ||
| including any proposed policy and research recommendations; and | ||
| (3) any proposals for legislation or other matters the | ||
| committee considers appropriate. | ||
| (j) The committee is abolished and this section expires | ||
| December 1, 2016. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
