30jan03... 0036h

2003 SESSION

03-0828

04/10

HOUSE BILL 231

COMMITTEE: Education

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the commissioner of the department of education to develop a plan to address and reduce the number of persons awaiting vocational rehabilitation transition services.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

30jan03... 0036h

03-0828

04/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

92:1 Findings. The general court hereby find that:

I. Recent reports show that New Hampshire high school pupils receiving special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act are supported by dangerously scant assistance in preparing for their transition beyond high school.

II. Despite federal and state statutes and rules requiring that such transition assistance for special education pupils starting at age 14 are not being provided as required.

III. The absence of transition assistance is an important reason why special education pupils are not better prepared upon leaving high school.

92:2 Vocational Rehabilitation Services; Development of Action Plan.

I. The commissioner of the department of education shall develop a plan to address and reduce the number of persons awaiting vocational rehabilitation services under RSA 200-C, including those persons in school awaiting vocational rehabilitation transition services.

II. The plan shall include:

(a) Estimates of the inadequacies of New Hampshire's transition assistance programs and the effects of such inadequacies on pupils who need such services.

(b) Projections of additional professional services and associated costs necessary to improve transition assistance programs.

(c) A time frame for implementing the plan which shall not exceed 5 years.

(d) A method for ongoing measurement of the effectiveness of expanded transition assistance services.

III. The plan shall be presented to the speaker of the house, the president of the senate, and the chairpersons of the house and senate education committees no later than November 1, 2003.

92:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: Enacted in accordance with Article 44, Part II of N.H. Constitution, without signature of Governor, June 3, 2003)

(Effective Date: August 2, 2003)