Bill Text: TX SB54 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to a study and report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding best practices for assisting students with autism spectrum disorder.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-21 - Committee report printed and distributed [SB54 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB54-Comm_Sub.html
By: Zaffirini | S.B. No. 54 | |
(In the Senate - Filed November 9, 2020; March 3, 2021, read | ||
first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education; | ||
May 21, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee | ||
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 21, 2021, | ||
sent to printer.) | ||
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 54 | By: West |
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relating to a study and report by the Texas Higher Education | ||
Coordinating Board regarding best practices for assisting students | ||
with autism spectrum disorder. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 61.06694 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.06694. STUDY AND REPORT ON ASSISTING STUDENTS WITH | ||
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. (a) The board shall conduct a study to | ||
determine best practices for assisting students with autism | ||
spectrum disorder who are enrolled at institutions of higher | ||
education. | ||
(b) The study must: | ||
(1) identify and track: | ||
(A) the number of students with autism spectrum | ||
disorder who graduate from secondary schools in this state; | ||
(B) the number of students with autism spectrum | ||
disorder who are enrolled at institutions of higher education; | ||
(C) the student financial assistance available | ||
to students with autism spectrum disorder who enroll at | ||
institutions of higher education; and | ||
(D) the graduation rates of students with autism | ||
spectrum disorder who enroll at institutions of higher education; | ||
and | ||
(2) identify and examine best practices and program | ||
modules from public and private institutions of higher education | ||
outside this state that have achieved successful results in working | ||
with students with autism spectrum disorder. | ||
(c) In conducting the study, the board: | ||
(1) shall collaborate with the Texas Education Agency | ||
regarding specialized programs offered by elementary or secondary | ||
schools for students with autism spectrum disorder to determine how | ||
those programs could be replicated at or extended to postsecondary | ||
institutions; and | ||
(2) may not request, require, or use personally | ||
identifiable student information. | ||
(d) Not later than December 1, 2023, the board shall submit | ||
to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house | ||
of representatives, and the commissioner of education a written | ||
report that includes the study's findings and any recommendations | ||
for legislative or other action. | ||
(e) This section expires January 1, 2024. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
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