HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 91
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Spencer, et al.)
[Introduced April 13, 2001; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to
authorize an interim study of this state's compliance with
pertinent federal and state laws relating to providing
services and funding to students with physical, learning or
severe sensory disabilities who are attending public
institutions of higher education and addressing the issues
related to the disbursement of funds through noncapital
expenditures appropriated by the Legislature for those
purposes.
Whereas, The West Virginia Department of Education, Office of
Special Education has identified more than fifty thousand students
in grades K-12 who have disabilities; and
Whereas, More than one thousand five hundred students with
disabilities have been identified as attending postsecondary
schools and institutions of higher education in West Virginia; and
Whereas, Less than two percent of the students in colleges in West Virginia have been identified with disabilities, as compared
to 12 to 14 percent nationwide, and our purpose is to do all
possible in assisting these students; and
Whereas, The State of West Virginia desires to do all that it
can do to further the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, as well as
other laws, including state statutes relating to students with
disabilities; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is
requested to appoint a special committee composed of members from
the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary, Finance,
Government Organization and Education to: (1) Evaluate this
state's compliance with applicable federal and state laws,
including recruitment retention initiatives, in providing services
to students in institutions of higher education who are disabled;
(2) review, examine and study the programs and services available
to students with disabilities in public institutions of higher
education, to include at least one visit to each of a community
college, a four year college or university and a graduate course
program and three on-site visits to study and review exemplary
programs; and (3) review and study all issues attendant to disbursing moneys to support disabled students in institutions of
higher education through reimbursement to those institutions for
noncapital expenditures incurred in providing services to those
students; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, two
thousand two, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations,
together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its
recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report, and to draft any necessary legislation
be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.