HBA-GUM H.B. 3665 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3665 By: Wise Human Services 4/12/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, a visually handicapped person does not always benefit from the same educational services, such as paid tuition, room and board, meals, transportation, books, and supplies, as other certain handicapped individuals. Visually handicapped persons are not served by the same Texas Rehabilitation Commission (TRC) guidelines regarding services to other handicapped persons. Providing a visually handicapped person with the aforementioned educational services, as well as transportation and on-campus housing, might encourage that individual to seek post-secondary educational opportunities. H.B. 3665 requires the Texas Commission for the Blind (TCB) to provide such educational services to visually handicapped persons to ensure that each person has access to appropriate post-secondary education and training, and authorizes TCB to grant a visually handicapped person financial assistance to cover necessary expenses incurred in receiving a postsecondary education. In addition, this bill authorizes TCB to contract with TRC or another state agency or institution to provide any specified educational service. This bill also requires TCB to adopt rules and to report to specified persons on the actions taken by TCB to implement this bill. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Commission for the Blind in SECTION 2 of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 91, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 91.029, as follows: Sec. 91.029. POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND TRAINING. (a) Requires the Texas Commission for the Blind (TCB) to provide services to a visually handicapped person to ensure that each person has access to appropriate post-secondary education and training. (b) Authorizes TCB, in providing services under this section, to provide a visually handicapped person with a grant to cover necessary expenses to attend an institution of higher education or other educational or training program. Authorizes TCB to provide any ancillary service related to the person's attendance at the specified institution or program, including the provision of transportation. (c) Authorizes TCB to contract with the Texas Rehabilitation Commission or another state agency or institution to provide a service described by this section. SECTION 2. Requires TCB, not later than January 1, 2000, to adopt rules to implement Section 91.029, Human Services Code, as added by this Act, and report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature on the action taken by TCB to implement the provisions of this Act. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.