BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        H.B. 1250
                                                By: Cook (Sibley)
                                                        Education
                                                         04-20-95
                              Senate Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

During the 73rd Legislature, S.B. 485 was adopted, which requires
the members of governing boards of higher education to attend a
training seminar in Austin within the first two years of service. 
However, the law made no provision for an alternative method of
complying with this training requirement.  As a result, a hardship
has been placed on governing board members from rural and distant
areas to attend the seminar in Austin.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1250 allows the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board to develop alternative means for members of
governing boards to comply with the training requirement under
current law.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is granted
to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under SECTION 1
(Sec. 61.084(b), Education Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends and renumbers Section 61.083, Education Code, as
Section 61.084, as follows:

     Sec.  61.084.  TRAINING FOR MEMBERS OF GOVERNING BOARDS.  (a) 
     Requires each member of a governing board of an institution of
     higher education (institution) to attend, during the member's
     first two years of service as a member of a governing board of
     an institution, at least one training program under this
     section.  Provides that may, but need not, attend additional
     training programs.
     
     (b)  Authorizes the staff of the Texas Higher Education
       Coordinating Board (board) to obtain assistance from
       representatives of certain offices, the Texas Ethics
       Commission, and from other training personnel the board
       deems necessary.  Authorizes the board, by rule, to
       prescribe an alternative training program for members of
       governing boards for whom attendance at a seminar held in
       Austin would be a hardship.  Provides that the alternative
       training program need not be in the form of a seminar but
       must include substantially the same information included in
       the seminar held in Austin.
       
       (c)  Makes conforming changes.
       
       (d)  Authorizes topics covered by the training program to
       include, among others, the requirements of the open meetings
       law, Chapter 551, Government Code, and the open records law,
       Chapter 552, Government Code; and any other topic relating
       to higher education the board considers important.  Makes
       conforming changes.  Deletes references to budgeting and
       policy development.
     SECTION 2.     Effective date:  September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.