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HB 1673, 64th R.S.
Relating to educational services for the blind and visually handicapped; providing for early identification and appropriate referral of blind and visually handicapped individuals; establishing the Governor's Coordinating Office for the Visually Handicapped; prescribing minimum standards and procedures to assure the more adequate education of individuals handicapped by serious visual loss; delineating the responsibilities of certain state-supported organizations carrying out activities impacted upon or impacting upon educational effort in behalf of blind and visually handicapped individuals; authorizing the Texas School for the Blind to conduct research, demonstration and training activities necessary for the fostering of greater adequacy in the educational effort exerted in behalf of blind and visually handicapped students by the local independent school districts of the state; providing for necessary administrative and programmatic improvements at the Texas School for the Blind; authorizing the establishment of a pilot program of state purchases of goods and services manufactured by multiply handicapped blind individuals who do not derive sufficient benefits from educational programs to be enabled to undertake employment in competitive job settings.

House and Senate Journals

The House and Senate Journals contain the official proceedings of the House of Representatives and Senate. The Journals include the text of proposed amendments to legislation and record votes. The Journals do not routinely contain transcripts of debates on bills; material such as speeches, statements of intent, parlimentary inquiries or other discussion may occasionally be included if members of the Legislature specifically asked that it be recorded in the Journals.

Printed journals for most sessions are available at the Legislative Reference Library, in law libraries around the state, and at the Dallas and Houston public libraries.

Scanned House and Senate Journals from the 64th R.S. are available online.

Recordings

Since 1973, the Texas Legislature has recorded most public committee hearings and House and Senate floor debates. Listening to these recordings may be helpful in compiling a bill's legislative history. To review or request recordings, locate the following dates in the bill history

Digitized copies of some of the House recordings for the 64th R.S. are available from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Digitized copies of the Senate recordings for the 64th R.S. are available from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Recordings may be ordered through the mail or obtained in person at the House or Senate media offices:

House Tapes, 63rd Legislature (1973) - present
John H. Reagan Building, Room 330
105 West 15th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 463-0920
(512) 463-5729 Fax
*Requests must be in writing and paid in advance. View a sample request form.

Senate Tapes
Legislative Reference Library
1100 N. Congress Ave. Room 2N.3
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 463-1252
NOTE: Due to preservation concerns for the original cassette tapes, patrons are no longer able to listen to the original tapes. Digitized copies of the Senate recordings are available from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.


Transcripts

Committee hearings and floor debates are not routinely transcribed; however, they may occasionally be available. If transcripts are included in the committee minutes in the library collection, they will be available on the Committee information tab. Other transcripts found in the library collection are listed on the Articles tab. Contact the offices holding the recordings for each chamber to ask about the availability of additional transcripts.

Other helpful documents

A variety of sources can provide background material, analysis and historical perspective for legislation which may be useful to the researcher. The sources suggested below may contain useful information which is not directly linked to a bill number.

Legislative Reports

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Search the Legislative Reports database by subject or keyword for related reports.

State agency reports

Reports issued by state agencies, the House Research Organization, the Senate Research Center, and the Sunset Advisory Commission may also help to identify legislative intent. Recent reports are often available on the web site of the agency issuing the report; older reports may be available at the Legislative Reference Library or at other Texas State Depository Libraries.


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