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Committee advances bill letting districts consider private ABA providers for students with autism during school day
Summary
H.3974 would require districts to consider parent requests to allow private applied behavior analysis providers to evaluate or deliver medically necessary ABA services in schools; the committee moved the bill forward and delayed local implementation deadlines to 2027.
The Senate Education Committee voted to give H.3974 a favorable report after research director Katie Grinstead described the bill’s intent to allow local school districts to consider, on a case-by-case basis, parent requests for private applied behavior analysis (ABA) providers to observe or deliver medically necessary services in the school setting for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
“ This bill would amend state law to require school districts to consider on a case by case basis a request from a parent or legal guardian to allow private providers who rendered applied behavior analysis, which ABA therapy, to evaluate and provide medically necessary services or observations authorized by an independent third party payer to public schools during the school day,” Grinstead said. She added the bill was narrowed in subcommittee: a missing term was restored in the definition and the deadline for required policies was moved from January 2026 to 2027 to allow additional time for districts to adopt procedures.
Senators noted broad stakeholder engagement at the subcommittee hearing and several parents and providers testified to successful outcomes for students who received ABA supports in school. Committee members emphasized the bill does not require districts to provide the services at public expense; Grinstead noted that many districts already permit privately funded providers to work in schools and the bill standardizes the process and the State Board’s role in setting parameters.
The committee adopted the subcommittee amendment and gave the bill a favorable report to the full Senate.
