SPECIAL EDUCATION BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE
House Bill 4836
Sponsor: Rep. Marc Shulman
Committee: Education
Complete to 6-1-01
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4836 AS INTRODUCED 5-30-01
House Bill 4836 would amend the Revised School Code to create the Blue Ribbon Committee for Special Education within the Department of Education. The committee would review: the costs of special education programs and services (including reasons why the costs are rising at a rate in excess of the cost of living); how cost savings can be achieved in special education programs and services without affecting services for students; and, state rules and federal regulations to address those that should be continued, improved, or eliminated. After its review, the committee would make detailed findings and recommendations in a report to the legislature, governor, state board of education, and the state's congressional delegation.
The bill specifies that the committee would consist of 31 members appointed by the governor. They would be: 11 parents (including six who were parents of special education students, and five who were parents of general education students); 10 educators (including representatives of special education teachers, special education administrators, school business managers, superintendents, and school board members); and, 10 members of the general public (including representatives of the business community and higher education). The members would be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of the bill. The governor would appoint replacements in the same manner as original appointments, and could remove a member of the committee for incompetence, dereliction of duty, malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office, or any other good cause.
The bill further specifies that the first meeting of the committee would be called by the governor, and at that meeting the committee members would election a chairperson and other officers as they considered necessary. After the first meeting, the committee would meet at least quarterly, at the call of the chairperson, or if requested by a majority of the members. A majority of the members would constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; however, a majority of the members present and serving would be required for official action. The committee's business would have to be conducted at public meetings that were held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, and any writing in the possession of the committee in the performance of an official function would be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Members of the committee would serve without compensation, but could be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.