BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1807

By: Naishtat

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to interested parties, the absence of a centralized inventory of postsecondary opportunities in the form of programs and services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities limits their access to postsecondary programs and services that are available to them. H.B. 1807 seeks to provide for improved access by means of such an inventory.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1807 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to maintain an inventory of all postsecondary educational programs and services provided for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities by institutions of higher education. The bill requires the coordinating board to post the inventory on its website in an easily identifiable and accessible location, to submit the inventory to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for inclusion in TEA's transition and employment guide for students enrolled in special education programs and their parents, and to update the inventory at least once every two years. The bill requires each institution of higher education, at times prescribed by the coordinating board, to report to the coordinating board all such programs and services provided by that institution. The bill requires the coordinating board to compile the inventory not later than September 1, 2016, and requires TEA to include the inventory in its transition and employment guide as soon as practicable after the inventory is available.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.