HBA-LCA H.B. 2704 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2704 By: Reyna, Arthur Public Education 4/20/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Many children in Texas have learning, physical, emotional, or psychological disabilities that hinder their ability to succeed in school. Ensuring that children receive the appropriate learning disabilities assessments and psychological evaluations can be a daunting task for many parents, especially lowincome parents who may not have the financial resources to hire private professionals trained to test for disabilities. Without an assessment or evaluation, a child with disabilities may not receive services for which the child may qualify. H.B. 2704 requires the Texas Education Agency (agency) to make grants to school districts, from funds appropriated for that purpose, for special education advocacy programs (program) to assist low-income families that have a child who is or may be eligible for such programs. A district that receives a grant is authorized to contract with a nonprofit organization to establish and operate the program. The district or nonprofit organization operating the program is required to disseminate information about the program through advertisements and posting notices, and to appoint a special education advocate (advocate) for each family with a child likely to be eligible for the program. Among other duties, the advocate must make necessary phone calls in connection with obtaining special services for a child and consult with school staff to establish the necessary educational program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, by adding Section 29.015, as follows: Sec. 29.015. SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROGRAM. (a) Requires the Texas Education Agency (agency) to make grants to school districts, from funds appropriated for that purpose, for special education advocacy programs (program) to assist low-income families that have a child who is or may be eligible for such programs. (b) Provides that a district may contract with a nonprofit organization to establish and operate the program. (c) Requires a district or nonprofit organization operating a program to disseminate information about the program through advertisements and posting notices, and to appoint a special education advocate (advocate) for each family with a child likely to be eligible for the program. Requires a district or nonprofit organization operating a program to maintain certain records for a family for whom an advocate is appointed. Requires a district or nonprofit organization to account for all expenditures of funds in connection with operating the program. (d) Requires an advocate to perform a certain specified duties. (e) Defines "low-income family." SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.