By: Buckingham S.B. No. 1677
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to eliminating certain reporting and posting requirements
  for public institutions of higher education and other state
  agencies and the requirement for a plan by certain school districts
  to increase enrollment in public institutions of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.402(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The governing board of each institution of higher
  education in the state shall adopt rules and regulations concerning
  faculty academic workloads. In adopting rules under this
  subsection, each institution shall recognize that classroom
  teaching, basic and applied research, and professional development
  are important elements of faculty academic workloads by giving
  appropriate weight to each activity when determining the standards
  for faculty academic workload. An institution may give the same or
  different weight to each activity and to other activities
  recognized by the institution as important elements of faculty
  academic workloads. [The established rules and regulations of each
  institution shall be included in the operating budgets of each
  institution.]
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 61.0341 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.0341.  LIMITATION ON DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING
  REQUIREMENTS. (a)  The legislature finds that data collection and
  reporting requirements for institutions of higher education must be
  limited and reduced to the extent feasible.
         (b)  If the commissioner of higher education determines that
  the board has access to an alternative means of collecting data or
  receiving information to be included in a report sufficient to
  fulfill a requirement under this code, the board by rule may
  eliminate the reporting requirement for that data or information.
         SECTION 3.  Section 659.0201(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A state agency that accepts a gift, grant, donation, or
  other consideration from a person that the person designates to be
  used as a salary supplement for an employee of the agency shall post
  on the agency's Internet website[, in addition to the information
  required by Section 659.026,] the amount of each gift, grant,
  donation, or other consideration provided by the person that is
  designated to be used as a salary supplement for an employee of the
  agency. The agency may not post the name of the person.
         SECTION 4.  The following provisions are repealed:
               (1)  Sections 29.904 and 51.4031, Education Code; and
               (2)  Section 659.026, Government Code.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.