AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the right of parents to information concerning special
 1-2     education.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-5     Section 26.0081 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 26.0081.  RIGHT TO INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL
 1-7     EDUCATION.  (a)  The agency shall produce and provide to school
 1-8     districts sufficient copies of a comprehensive, easily understood
 1-9     document that explains the process by which an individualized
1-10     education program is developed for a student in a special education
1-11     program and the rights and responsibilities of a parent concerning
1-12     the process.  The document must include information a parent needs
1-13     to effectively participate in an admission, review, and dismissal
1-14     committee meeting for the parent's child.
1-15           (b)  The agency will ensure that each school district
1-16     provides the document required under this section to the parent as
1-17     provided by 20 U.S.C. Section 1415(b):
1-18                 (1)  as soon as practicable after a child is referred
1-19     to determine the child's eligibility for admission into the
1-20     district's special education program, but at least five school days
1-21     before the date of the initial meeting of the admission, review,
1-22     and dismissal committee; and
1-23                 (2)  at any other time on reasonable request of the
1-24     child's parent.
 2-1           SECTION 2.  (a)  The Texas Education Agency shall ensure that
 2-2     each school district provides the document required under Section
 2-3     26.0081, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than June
 2-4     1, 2001, to the parent of or the person standing in parental
 2-5     relation to each child participating in the district's special
 2-6     education program.
 2-7           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-8           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 870 passed the Senate on
         April 13, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 870 passed the House on
         May 26, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor