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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a school health and related |
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services program advisory council. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 106 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 106. SCHOOL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES PROGRAM |
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ADVISORY COUNCIL |
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Sec. 106.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Advisory council" means the school health and |
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related services program advisory council established under this |
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chapter. |
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(2) "Agency" means the Texas Education Agency. |
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(3) "Program" means the school health and related |
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services program under which certain health-related services |
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provided through a student's individualized education program are |
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eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. |
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Sec. 106.002. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a) The advisory |
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council is composed of 13 members as follows: |
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(1) one agency employee with administrative duties |
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involving the program; |
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(2) two commission employees with administrative |
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duties involving the program; |
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(3) one superintendent or chief financial officer of a |
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school district with a student enrollment of at least 5,000 |
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students; |
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(4) one superintendent or chief financial officer of a |
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school district eligible for the allotment under Section 48.101(c), |
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Education Code; |
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(5) one superintendent or chief financial officer of a |
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school district eligible for the allotment under Section 48.101(b) |
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or (d), Education Code; |
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(6) one special education director employed by a |
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school district described by Subdivision (3); |
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(7) one special education director employed by a |
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school district described by Subdivision (4); |
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(8) one special education director employed by a |
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school district described by Subdivision (5); |
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(9) two persons who are each a parent of a student |
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eligible for reimbursement under the program; |
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(10) one member of an advocacy group for children with |
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special needs; and |
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(11) one provider of special education services. |
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(b) The commissioner of education shall appoint the member |
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described by Subsection (a)(1). The executive commissioner or the |
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executive commissioner's designee shall: |
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(1) appoint the remaining 12 members to the advisory |
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council; and |
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(2) designate one member as chair of the advisory |
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council. |
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(c) An appointment to a vacancy on the advisory council |
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shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment. A |
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member is eligible for reappointment. |
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Sec. 106.003. TERMS. Members of the advisory council serve |
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staggered four-year terms, with the terms of six or seven members |
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expiring on August 31 of each odd-numbered year. |
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Sec. 106.004. REIMBURSEMENT. Members of the advisory |
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council serve without compensation but are entitled to |
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reimbursement for travel expenses. |
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Sec. 106.005. COUNCIL DUTIES; ADVISORY STATUS. (a) The |
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advisory council shall advise the agency and the commission |
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regarding: |
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(1) implementing and administering the program; |
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(2) incorporating changes to federal law governing the |
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program; and |
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(3) any other issue involving the administration of |
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the program. |
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(b) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
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advisory council. |
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Sec. 106.006. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING. (a) The |
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commission shall provide administrative support for the advisory |
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council. |
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(b) Funding for the administrative and operational expenses |
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of the advisory council shall be provided through legislative |
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appropriation to the commission for that purpose. |
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Sec. 106.007. RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt |
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rules as necessary to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable and not later than October |
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1, 2025, the commissioner of education and the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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appoint the members of the school health and related services |
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program advisory council established under Chapter 106, Health and |
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Safety Code, as added by this Act, and shall provide for staggered |
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member terms as required by that chapter. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |