By Dukes                                              H.B. No. 1612
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the right of a special education student to be
 1-3     represented at school disciplinary proceedings by a person other
 1-4     than the student's parent or guardian.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 37.009, Education Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Subsection (i) to read as follows:
 1-8           (i)  The parent or guardian of a student eligible to
 1-9     participate in the district's special education program under
1-10     Section 29.003 is entitled to designate a person to serve as an
1-11     advocate and represent the student's interests at any conference,
1-12     proceeding, review, or hearing under this section.  Before
1-13     conducting the conference, proceeding, review, or hearing, the
1-14     school district shall notify the parent or guardian in writing of
1-15     the right provided by this subsection.
1-16           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000
1-17     school year.
1-18           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-2     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-3     passage, and it is so enacted.