Bill Text: NH HB171 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Establishing a commission to study equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in cocurricular activities.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-11 - Signed by Governor Sununu 06/05/2019; Chapter 46; I. Sec. 2 Eff: 11/01/2019 II. Rem. Eff: 06/05/2019 [HB171 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HB171-Amended.html

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HB 171 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

14Feb2019... 0279h

04/18/2019   1451s

2019 SESSION

19-0120

06/05

 

HOUSE BILL 171

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in cocurricular activities.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Lang, Belk. 4; Rep. T. Le, Rock. 31; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Watters, Dist 4

 

COMMITTEE: Education

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a commission to study equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in cocurricular activities.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

14Feb2019... 0279h

04/18/2019   1451s 19-0120

06/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in cocurricular activities.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Section; Special Education; Commission Established.  Amend RSA 186-C by inserting after section 28 the following new section:

186-C:28-a  Commission Established.

I.  There is established a commission to study equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in cocurricular activities.

II.(a)  The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(1)  Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(2)  One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(3)  The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.

(4)  One member of the New Hampshire School Boards Association, appointed by the association.

(5)  One member of Special Olympics New Hampshire, appointed by that organization.

(6)  One member of the New Hampshire Association of Special Education Administrators, appointed by the association.

(7)  One member of the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association, appointed by the association.

(8)  One member of the self-advocacy leadership team, a task force of the New Hampshire council on developmental disabilities, appointed by the team.

(9)  One member of the New Hampshire council on developmental disabilities, appointed by the council.

(10)  One member of the New Hampshire Athletic Directors Association, appointed by the association.

(11)  One member of the New Hampshire School Administrators Association, appointed by the association.

(b)  Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

III.(a)  The commission shall study school districts' efforts and ability to provide equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in cocurricular activities.  The study shall include, but not be limited to:

(1)  Considering ways of expanding opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in cocurricular activities in accordance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. section 701 et seq.

(2)  Considering ways for students with disabilities to be allowed to try out for and if selected, participate in athletic programs.

(3)  Considering ways for school districts to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and without disabilities to participate in unified programs.

(4)  Considering unified sports legislation passed in other states as a model for New Hampshire to adopt.

(5)  Considering ways to expand unified programs in additional school districts.

IV.  The members of the study commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members.  The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member.  The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

V.  The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2019.

2  Repeal.  RSA 186-C:28-a, relative to a commission to study equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in athletics, is repealed.

3  Effective Date.

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2019.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.