TO:	Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:	John McGeady, Assistant Director     Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB608 by Watson (Relating to the continuation and functions of the School Land Board.), As Introduced

The bill would amend the Natural Resources Code regarding the School Land Board (SLB). The bill would increase the SLB from three to five members, would require that the SLB hold an annual joint meeting with the State Board of Education (SBOE), would require the SLB to separate the policymaking responsibilities it performs from management responsibilities performed by the General Land Office (GLO), would require SLB appointees to read a training manual to be created by GLO, and would require the SLB to have a complaints system. The bill would clarify existing law that all SLB assets, including cash, are part of the calculation of the statutory 15 percent cap on SLB real estate investments, and would specify that the cap is measured against all assets and cash managed or held by the SLB and SBOE as part of the PSF. The bill would eliminate certain duplicative reporting requirements. Based on information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the Sunset Advisory Commission, the Texas Education Agency, and GLO, this analysis assumes that duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished using existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.