By Reyna of Bexar H.B. No. 2704 76R9024 ESH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to school district special education advocacy programs. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 29.015 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 29.015. SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROGRAM. (a) From 1-7 funds appropriated for that purpose, the agency shall make grants 1-8 to school districts for special education advocacy programs to 1-9 assist low-income families that have a child who is or may be 1-10 eligible for the district's special education program. 1-11 (b) A district that receives a grant under this section may 1-12 contract with a nonprofit organization to establish and operate the 1-13 district's special education advocacy program. 1-14 (c) A district or nonprofit organization operating a special 1-15 education advocacy program shall: 1-16 (1) disseminate information about the school 1-17 district's special education program and the special education 1-18 advocacy program to low-income families by methods including 1-19 placing advertisements in local newspapers or neighborhood 1-20 newspapers, placing notices in church and community organization 1-21 newsletters, and posting notices in public places and neighborhood 1-22 businesses; 1-23 (2) appoint a special education advocate for each 1-24 low-income family that has a child who is or is likely to be 2-1 eligible for the school district's special education program; 2-2 (3) maintain records concerning each low-income family 2-3 for whom a special education advocate is appointed, showing the 2-4 child's educational problem as identified by the school district 2-5 or the advocate, the actions the advocate took on the family's 2-6 behalf, and the status of the case; and 2-7 (4) account for all expenditures of funds in 2-8 connection with the program. 2-9 (d) A special education advocate appointed under Subsection 2-10 (c) shall: 2-11 (1) meet with the family for an initial consultation; 2-12 (2) represent the family at meetings and conferences 2-13 in the schools, including any meeting of the committee required 2-14 under 20 U.S.C. Section 1401(a)(20) and its subsequent amendments; 2-15 (3) make necessary phone calls in connection with 2-16 obtaining special services for the child; 2-17 (4) write necessary letters in connection with 2-18 obtaining special services for the child; 2-19 (5) consult with school staff to establish the 2-20 necessary special education program; and 2-21 (6) meet with the family as necessary due to changes 2-22 in the child's condition. 2-23 (e) In this section, "low-income family" means a family that 2-24 is receiving financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources 2-25 Code, food stamps administered under Chapter 33, Human Resources 2-26 Code, or benefits under the state Medicaid program. 2-27 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 3-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.