HOUSE BILL No. 4836


     May 30, 2001, Introduced by Reps. Shulman, Bishop, Patterson, Stewart, Richardville, DeVuyst, Meyer, Voorhees, Vander Veen, Hart, Ruth
Johnson, Hansen, Toy, Julian and Kooiman and referred to the Committee on Education.


        A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled

   "The revised school code,"

   (MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1707.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

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           SEC. 1707.  (1) THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCA-

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      TION IS CREATED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

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           (2) THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SHALL

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      REVIEW AT LEAST ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MATTERS RELATING TO SPECIAL

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      EDUCATION:

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           (A) THE COSTS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

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      THIS REVIEW SHALL ADDRESS REASONS WHY THE COSTS ARE RISING AT A

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      RATE IN EXCESS OF THE COST OF LIVING.

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           (B) HOW COST SAVINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

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      PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WITHOUT AFFECTING SERVICES FOR PUPILS.




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           (C) EXISTING STATE RULES AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS CONCERNING

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      SPECIAL EDUCATION.  THIS REVIEW SHALL ADDRESS THOSE RULES THAT

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      SHOULD BE CONTINUED, IMPROVED, OR ELIMINATED.

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           (3) THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SHALL

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      MAKE DETAILED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE MATTERS

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      DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (2) AND SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE LEG-

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      ISLATURE, THE GOVERNOR, THE STATE BOARD, AND THIS STATE'S CON-

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      GRESSIONAL DELEGATION.

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           (4) THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SHALL

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      CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING 31 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR:

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           (A) ELEVEN PARENTS, INCLUDING 6 WHO ARE PARENTS OF SPECIAL

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      EDUCATION PUPILS AND 5 WHO ARE PARENTS OF GENERAL EDUCATION

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      PUPILS.

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           (B) TEN EDUCATORS, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES OF SPECIAL EDU-

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      CATION TEACHERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL BUSI-

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      NESS MANAGERS, SUPERINTENDENTS, AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

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           (C) TEN MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, INCLUDING REPRESENTA-

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      TIVES OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND HIGHER EDUCATION.

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           (5) THE MEMBERS FIRST APPOINTED TO THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE

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      FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SHALL BE APPOINTED WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE

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      EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.

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           (6) IF A VACANCY OCCURS ON THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR

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      SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT A REPLACEMENT IN

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      THE SAME MANNER AS THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT.

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           (7) THE GOVERNOR MAY REMOVE A MEMBER OF THE BLUE RIBBON COM-

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      MITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR INCOMPETENCY, DERELICTION OF





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      DUTY, MALFEASANCE, MISFEASANCE, OR NONFEASANCE IN OFFICE, OR ANY

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      OTHER GOOD CAUSE.

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           (8) THE FIRST MEETING OF THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPE-

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      CIAL EDUCATION SHALL BE CALLED BY THE GOVERNOR.  AT THE FIRST

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      MEETING, THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SHALL

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      ELECT FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS A CHAIRPERSON AND OTHER OFFICERS AS

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      IT CONSIDERS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE.  AFTER THE FIRST MEETING,

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      THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SHALL MEET AT

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      LEAST QUARTERLY, OR MORE FREQUENTLY AT THE CALL OF THE CHAIR-

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      PERSON OR IF REQUESTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS.

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           (9) A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE

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      FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE TRANSACTION OF

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      BUSINESS AT A MEETING OF THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL

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      EDUCATION.  A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT AND SERVING ARE

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      REQUIRED FOR OFFICIAL ACTION.

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           (10) THE BUSINESS THAT THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL

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      EDUCATION MAY PERFORM SHALL BE CONDUCTED AT A PUBLIC MEETING HELD

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      IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261

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      TO 15.275.

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           (11) A WRITING PREPARED, OWNED, USED, IN THE POSSESSION OF,

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      OR RETAINED BY THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION IN

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      THE PERFORMANCE OF AN OFFICIAL FUNCTION IS SUBJECT TO THE FREEDOM

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      OF INFORMATION ACT, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 TO 15.246.

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           (12) MEMBERS OF THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCA-

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      TION SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION.  HOWEVER, MEMBERS OF THE

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      BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR





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      THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE

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      OF THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES AS MEMBERS.




















































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