09-R336

2009 -- S 0716

Enacted 07/16/09

 

 

J O I N T  R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Doyle, Algiere, Maselli, Tassoni, and McBurney

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2009

 

 

 

     RESOLVED, That a special joint commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of twenty-four (24) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of

Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than two (2)

from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall

be the Commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee;

one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of Human Services, or designee; one of

whom shall be the Director of the Department of Health, or designee; one of whom shall be the

Director of the Department of Children, Youth and Families, or designee; one of whom shall be

the Executive Director of The Autism Project of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be

the President of the National Autism Association, or designee; one of whom shall be the President

of TL Autism Research, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island

Chapter-Autism Society of America; one of whom shall be a diagnostician, to be appointed by the

Speaker; one of whom shall be a representative of higher education, to be appointed by the

Speaker; one of whom shall be the Director of Clinical and Educational Services from Pathways

Strategic Teaching Center, or designee; one of whom shall be a General Education Teacher from

a Rhode Island Public school system, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a

Special Education Teacher from a Rhode Island School system, to be appointed by the Speaker;

one of whom shall be a Special Education Director from a Rhode Island Public school system, to

be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the Director of Development Pediatrics from

Rhode Island Hospital, or designee; one of whom shall be from the Department of Special

Education at Salve Regina University, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the

Executive Director of The Groden Center, or designee; and one of whom shall be the director of

the Paul V. Sherlock Center on disabilities, or designee.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the education

of children with autism, particularly the diagnosis and assessment, the prevalence of numbers in

the state, the effect on and role of families, the appropriate goals for education, effective

interventions and educational programs, public policy approaches to ensuring access to

appropriate education and personnel preparation, and to study other aspects of Autism Spectrum

Disorder.

     Upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of

the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate and organize and shall select, from among

the legislators, a chairperson.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said commission, and be it further.

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

General Assembly no later than January 28, 2010 and said commission shall expire on June 15,

2010.

     

=======

LC02062

========