SRC-TNM S.C.R. 53 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.C.R. 53
By: Ellis
Administration
4-18-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, of the 15,000 children receiving services from the Texas
Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and who were diagnosed
with attention deficit hyperactivity, 20 percent had been involved with
Child Protective Services, 15 percent had been involved with the Juvenile
Court and/or the Texas Youth Commission, and almost half were either
placed away from home or were at risk for out-of-home treatment.  The
costs to the state for serving one out of nine children in special
education, the mental health system, and in the juvenile justice system
are significant.  S.C.R. 53 would create a joint interim committee
composed of state agencies, legislative members, and private citizens to
study and report on new advancements in treating learning disabilities,
attention deficit disorders, and their implications for public policy in
the care, education, control, and protection of children.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.C.R. 53 submits the following resolutions:

To create a joint interim committee (committee) to study and report on
recent findings concerning the development and functioning of the human
brain, human behavior and learning styles and their implications for
public policies concerning the care, education, control and protection of
the state's workforce. 

Provides that the committee be composed of private citizens knowledgeable
about recent findings concerning research on the development and
functioning of the human brain, human behavior and learning styles and
persons who are generally knowledgeable about public policies concerning
the care, education, control and protection of children, and especially
those children with disabilities or disorders, or who are victims of abuse
or neglect. 

Provides that the Texas Youth Commission, Texas Department of Protective
and Regulatory Services, Texas Education Agency, Texas Department of
Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Texas Juvenile Probation Commission,
Criminal Justice Policy Council, Texas Department of Criminal Justice,
Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness, Office of the
Governor, and Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, each appoint one staff
member to the committee. 

Provides that staffing support be developed within existing agency
resources, and that the Texas Council on Workforce and Economic
Competitiveness provide administrative support. 

Provides that the committee be charged with identifying key findings of
research concerning the development and functioning of the human brain,
human behavior and learning styles that could impact public policies
concerning the care, education, control and protection of children and the
education and training of the state's workforce, and developing
recommendations to the 76th Legislature concerning such policies. 

 Provides that the committee's proceedings and operations be governed by
such general rules  and policies for joint interim committees as the 75th
Legislature may adopt and that such  rules and policies supersede the
provisions of this resolution to the extent of any conflict. 


 Provides that the committee submit a full report, including findings and
recommendations, to the Texas Legislature not later than December 12,
1998.