IDEA Fairness Restoration Act
Bill introduced in House of Representatives
On June 6, 2009,
Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Peter Sessions (R-TX)
introduced the IDEA Fairness
Restoration Act, HR 2740. The two-page bill seeks to amend
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to allow parents who prevail in IDEA
due process hearings and litigation to recover the cost of expert
witnesses and related fees.
Many parents cannot
afford the cost of paying for expert witnesses, whereas school districts
can use local and state tax dollars to pay for outside experts or use
internal staff. In 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court, decided in Arlington Central School
District v. Murphy that parents could
not be reimbursed for expert witness
fees. If signed into law, this bill would
overturn that decision. CHADD has signed a letter
of support for this bill. A final copy of the letter will be posted in
the coming weeks.
Posted July 7, 2009
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