2004 -- H 7157 AS AMENDED

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LC00249

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2004

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP A

COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

CHILDREN

     Introduced By: Representatives Naughton, Giannini, Lewiss, and Crowley

     Date Introduced: January 13, 2004

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

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     RESOLVED, That a special house commission created by resolution No. 6 passed by the

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House of Representatives at its January session, A.D. 2003, and approved January 14, 2003

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entitled “House Resolution Creating A Special House Commission To Promote And Develop A

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Comprehensive System of Education For The Visually Impaired Children" is hereby authorized

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to continue its study and make a report to the House of Representatives on or before March 18,

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2005, and said commission shall expire on May 18, 2005; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the time for reporting authorized by resolution No. 6 passed by the

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House of Representatives at its January session, A.D. 2003, and approved January 14, 2003 be

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and the same is hereby rescinded; and be it further

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

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consisting of thirteen (13) members: one of whom shall be from the House of Representatives, to

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be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of Education,

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

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

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be the Director of the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, or designee; one of whom shall be

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a vision educator specialist, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a public school

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

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from INSIGHT, to be appointed by the president of INSIGHT; one of whom shall be a

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representative from the Governor’s Advisory Council for the Blind, to be appointed by the

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Council President; and one of whom shall be an ophthalmologist, appointed by the Rhode Island

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Medical Society; one of whom shall be an optometrist appointed by the Rhode Island Optometrist

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Association; and two (2) of whom shall be parents of visually impaired children, to be appointed

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by the Speaker.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to promote and develop a comprehensive

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system of education for visually impaired children that includes early child screening,

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development, and as well as K-12 instruction.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall appoint the member from the House

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of Representatives as the chair. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the

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original appointment.

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

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

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

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

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     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

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for said commission; and be it further

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

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House of Representatives on or before March 18, 2005 and said commission shall expire on May

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18, 2005.

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LC00249

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP A

COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

CHILDREN

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     This resolution would extend the reporting date of the special house commission to

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promote and develop a comprehensive system of education for the visually impaired children

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from March 18, 2004 to March 18, 2005, and said commission would expire on May 18, 2005.

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LC00249

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