HB 1069 Summary

• Creates a special fund in the State Treasury called the "Children's Center for Communication and Development Fund" to support the center at the University of Southern Mississippi, administered by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

• Amends special education law to allow state-supported universities to provide educational programs for high-incidence needs exceptional students when five or more children cannot have their needs met in regular public schools, if determined to be the least restrictive environment.

• Expands the definition of "compulsory-school-age child" to include children ages 3-5 years with disabilities under IDEA or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for purposes of providing free appropriate public education.

• Allows public school cooperatives to form to serve high-incidence exceptional children, low-incidence exceptional children, or both groups.

• Imposes a $0.95 assessment on moving traffic violations to fund the Children's Center for Communication and Development, effective July 1, 2021.