An Act relative to independent child protection

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Steven Howitt

Bill H 608 ensures children with disabilities retain educational services when families move, requiring former school districts to cover costs for their placements.

Hearing rescheduled to 11/18/2025 from 01:00 PM-03:25 PM in B-1 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

Purpose and Intent

Bill H 608 aims to ensure that children with disabilities who are placed in approved private day or residential schools continue to receive necessary educational services and support, even if their families move to a different school district. This legislation seeks to protect the educational rights of these children and provide financial stability for their educational placements.

Key Provisions

Funding Responsibility: The bill stipulates that if a child with a disability is currently receiving special education services in an approved private day or residential school and their family relocates to a different school district, the school committee of the child's former district must cover the approved budgeted costs for the child's placement.

Coverage of Costs: The costs covered by the former school committee include:

Tuition for the approved private day or residential school.
Necessary transportation expenses.
Safety expenses related to the child's placement.
Inspections required for the child's educational setting.

Fiscal Year Duration: The financial responsibility of the former school district extends for the balance of the fiscal year in which the child moves.

Who is Affected?

Children with Disabilities: The primary beneficiaries of this bill are children with disabilities who require special education services.

Families: Families of these children will have assurance that their child's educational needs will continue to be met financially, even after a move.

School Districts: The bill places a financial obligation on school committees in the former district, which may impact their budgets and resource allocation.

Procedural Aspects

Introduced: The bill was introduced on February 27, 2025, by Representative Steven S. Howitt.

Committee Review: Following its introduction, the bill was referred to the Education Committee.

Hearing Scheduled: A public hearing is scheduled for November 18, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM in room B-1, allowing stakeholders to provide input on the proposed legislation.

Related Legislation

House Docket No. 1211: This bill is associated with House Docket No. 1211, which addresses similar matters regarding the education costs of children with disabilities.

This summary provides an overview of Bill H 608, highlighting its purpose, key provisions, and the implications for affected parties. The scheduled hearing will be an important opportunity for discussion and feedback on the bill's potential impact.

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