Amendment #1109 to H4200

Homeless Student Transportation Commission

Representatives Barber of Somerville, Fiola of Fall River, Gentile of Sudbury, Gonzalez of Springfield, Gordon of Bedford, Heroux of Attleboro, Kane of Shrewsbury, Khan of Newton, O'Connell of Taunton, Rogers of Cambridge, Rogers of Norwood, Sannicandro of Ashland, Toomey of Cambridge, Ultrino of Malden, Walsh of Framingham and Naughton of Clinton move to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"SECTION XXXX. (a)There shall be a special commission to investigate, analyze and make recommendations on transportation for homeless students in the Commonwealth. The special commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Education, the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of the department of transitional assistance, and 6 members who shall be appointed as follows: 2 members appointed by the senate president, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts school committee association and 1 of whom will be a representative from an organization that services homeless families; 2 members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be a member of the superintendents association and 1 of whom shall be a representative from a transportation company that service homeless students; and 2 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a homeless student liaison in a school district, 1 of whom shall be a city or town budget director.

(b) The commission shall study and report on the following: (i) the number of homeless students in the state and ability of the state to comply with the McKinney-Vento law; (ii) a review of barriers to meeting the goals of the law and recommendations on how to address such barriers; (iii) a review of current costs and bid processes in procuring transportation; (iv) an assessment of any funding needed to increase access to transportation for homeless students; (v) an assessment of federal funding provided to the state under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; and (vi) recommendations for changes to regulations or any changes in legislation needed to improve transportation services for homeless students. The commission, in formulating its recommendations, shall take into account the best policies and practices in other states. The commission shall be empowered to hold regular public meetings, fact-finding hearings and other public forums as it considers necessary.

(c) The commission shall file its report and recommendations with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives and the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on education within 12 months of the first convening of the commission.".

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #1109 to H4200

Homeless Student Transportation Commission