Committee hears amended bill to update special-education definitions, sponsor says change aligns state language with federal IDEA

House Bill 699, as amended, would revise state statutory definitions for special education to align some language with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), clarify terms such as ‘‘brain injury’’ and ‘‘approved educational environment,’’ and replace partial or inaccurate statutory definitions with cross-references to relevant federal language.

Representative Margaret Dry, appearing as a co-sponsor and not the prime author, told the Senate Education Committee the changes respond to a Legislative Budget Assistant audit recommending clearer definitions. Dry said the amendment substitutes federal IDEA definitions where New Hampshire statute previously had partial or inconsistent language and noted the intent was not to eliminate ‘‘related services’’ — an issue that generated public concern in earlier hearings because striking language made it appear that related services might be removed.

Representative Glenn Cordelli said the amendment reflected follow-up work with the Department of Education director of special education (Miss Fredette) and others who raised concerns during the House hearing; Cordelli said the amendment reinserted references to the federal statute to reduce confusion and addressed specific concerns from stakeholders.

Committee members and public commenters asked whether the state should wait for further federal guidance given changes at the U.S. Department of Education. Representative Cordelli said referencing the existing federal statutory text in state law was the prudent approach. Several members of the public, including education stakeholders, expressed opposition or concern at the House level but did not offer detailed testimony at this Senate hearing. The committee recessed the bill until the following Tuesday to hear from the prime sponsor when available.