Bill Text: TX SB1210 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of an advisory committee to review special education programs available in public schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-09 - Referred to Education [SB1210 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1210-Introduced.html
| 85R7633 MK-D | ||
| By: Perry | S.B. No. 1210 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the creation of an advisory committee to review special | ||
| education programs available 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 29.0061 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 29.0061. SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM REVIEW ADVISORY | ||
| COMMITTEE. (a) In this section, "committee" means the special | ||
| education program review advisory committee established under this | ||
| section. | ||
| (b) The special education program review advisory committee | ||
| is established under this section to review special education | ||
| services and procedures in public schools. | ||
| (c) The committee is composed of 12 members, appointed as | ||
| follows: | ||
| (1) four members appointed by the governor; | ||
| (2) four members appointed by the lieutenant governor; | ||
| and | ||
| (3) four members appointed by the speaker of the house | ||
| of representatives. | ||
| (d) In making appointments under Subsection (c), the | ||
| governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of | ||
| representatives shall coordinate to ensure the committee includes | ||
| at least two members who are related to a child who receives special | ||
| education services. The committee must also include stakeholders | ||
| with relevant experience with children who receive special | ||
| education services. | ||
| (e) The governor shall designate the presiding officer of | ||
| the committee. | ||
| (f) Members of the committee shall be appointed not later | ||
| than October 1, 2017. | ||
| (g) The committee must meet at least four times at the call | ||
| of the presiding officer. Committee members may participate | ||
| remotely in a committee meeting through a telephone conference | ||
| call. | ||
| (h) The agency shall provide administrative support to the | ||
| committee. | ||
| (i) The committee shall conduct a review of: | ||
| (1) the procedure by which a child gains access to | ||
| special education programs; | ||
| (2) the admission, review, and dismissal committee | ||
| process; | ||
| (3) agency procedures for handling complaints | ||
| regarding special education programs; | ||
| (4) agency training and resources related to the | ||
| education of children who have a traumatic brain injury; and | ||
| (5) the required qualifications for a teacher's aide | ||
| that is assigned to a special education program. | ||
| (j) Not later than September 1, 2018, the committee shall | ||
| submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and each member of | ||
| the legislature a report that includes: | ||
| (1) a description of the activities of the committee; | ||
| (2) the committee's findings in the review under | ||
| Subsection (i); and | ||
| (3) recommendations for improvements to special | ||
| education programs in public schools. | ||
| (k) The committee is abolished and this section expires on | ||
| December 1, 2018. | ||
| 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, 2017. | ||
