Bill Text: TX HB1706 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to additional requirements for individualized education programs developed for children with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-23 - Filed [HB1706 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB1706-Introduced.html
89R3987 JDK-D | ||
By: Garcia of Bexar | H.B. No. 1706 |
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relating to additional requirements for individualized education | ||
programs developed for children with autism or other pervasive | ||
developmental disorders. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 29.005, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (e-2) to read as follows: | ||
(e-2) For a child with autism or another pervasive | ||
developmental disorder, the committee must consider for inclusion | ||
in the child's individualized education program each strategy | ||
identified under commissioner rule as appropriate for autism or | ||
another pervasive developmental disorder and that is based on | ||
peer-reviewed, research-based educational programming practices. | ||
The committee shall determine whether each strategy considered is | ||
appropriate and practicable to include in the child's | ||
individualized education program. If the committee determines that | ||
a strategy is not appropriate or practicable to include in the | ||
child's individualized education program, the committee must | ||
include a written statement to that effect and the basis for that | ||
determination in the documentation for the child's individualized | ||
education program. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 29.0052 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 29.0052. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS | ||
WITH AUTISM OR ANOTHER PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER. (a) Not | ||
later than seven days before each meeting of an admission, review, | ||
and dismissal committee for a child with autism or another | ||
pervasive developmental disorder, a school district shall provide | ||
to the parent of the child written information regarding each | ||
strategy identified under commissioner rule as appropriate for | ||
autism or another pervasive developmental disorder and that is | ||
based on peer-reviewed, research-based educational programming | ||
practices. | ||
(b) At each meeting of an admission, review, and dismissal | ||
committee for a child with autism or another pervasive | ||
developmental disorder, the committee must consider each strategy | ||
described by Subsection (a) and determine whether the strategy is | ||
appropriate and practicable to include in the child's | ||
individualized education program. If the committee determines that | ||
a strategy is not appropriate or practicable to include in the | ||
child's program, the committee must include a written statement to | ||
that effect and the basis for that determination in the | ||
documentation for the child's individualized education program. | ||
(c) If the child's parent is unable to speak English, a | ||
school district shall: | ||
(1) provide the parent with a written or audiotaped | ||
copy of the written information required under Subsection (a) | ||
translated into Spanish if Spanish is the parent's native language; | ||
or | ||
(2) if the parent's native language is a language other | ||
than Spanish, make a good faith effort to provide the parent with | ||
the written information required under Subsection (a) translated | ||
into the parent's native language. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 | ||
school year. | ||
SECTION 4. 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, 2025. |