Senate education committee advances special-education study (HJR 51)

Representative Romano introduced House Joint Resolution 51, telling the Senate Education Committee the study would examine special education in Montana, including the educational rights and needs of special-education and regular-education students, the increasing intensity and number of children with specific disabilities, and the availability of special-education teachers, school psychologists and related-service specialists.

"This is a study bill all about special education," Romano said, adding that changes in federal funding could affect legal and financial obligations for districts and should be monitored.

Romano told the panel the study lists three primary aims: assess educational rights and needs, track changes in the prevalence and intensity of disabilities, and evaluate the workforce and service availability needed to provide a free appropriate public education.

There were no proponents, opponents or informational witnesses present for HJR 51. The committee took executive action and, following a motion to move the resolution, advanced HJR 51 out of the Senate Education Committee by voice vote; the record notes Senator Olson voting 'I' by proxy.

The measure is a study resolution, not a statutory change; the committee and sponsor framed it as a chance to gather information and plan for potential legal and financial impacts of changing federal policy.

The committee did not set a date for reporting back; committee members did not request further immediate amendments or conditions at the hearing's close.