Report Title:

Special Education Welcome Wagon; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to an unspecified nonprofit organization to create and facilitate a volunteer-operated Felix consent decree welcome wagon program to assist parents of Felix class children in understanding their rights, how to obtain services, and the availability of appropriate support groups.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1384

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to special education.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that, although there are many established programs and services available to families with Felix class children, many families continue to be confused on how to access these programs or obtain such services. Since parents with Felix class children are already faced with the challenge of coping with the additional needs of their Felix class child, the legislature believes that a program should be established to assist these families in navigating the complexities of accessing programs and obtaining services for their children. However, the legislature also believes that, to facilitate such a program's ability to responsively change with the needs of its clients and the programs and services that may be available to them, the program should not be state-operated.

As such, the legislature finds that a "Felix consent decree welcome wagon" program, operated by a nonprofit organization, to assist Felix class families in understanding their rights, obtaining services, and the availability of appropriate support groups, is an effective means of assisting families in obtaining necessary services.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for a grant-in-aid to operate a Felix consent decree welcome wagon program.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, for the establishment and operation of a volunteer-operated Felix consent decree welcome wagon program to assist parents of Felix class children in understanding their rights, how to obtain services, and the availability of appropriate support groups.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health as a grant-in-aid to a nonprofit organization either established for the purpose of providing the services described in this Act or to an existing nonprofit organization that establishes a program to provide these services.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.

INTRODUCED BY:

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