BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2448 By: Duncan 04-29-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Some feel that reporting requirements have become burdensome to many agencies, especially colleges and universities. The Higher Education Committee received an interim charge to study the compliance and paperwork burden placed on institutions of higher education by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. PURPOSE HB 2448 eliminates, consolidates, and revises certain reports relating to institutions of higher education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. States the purpose of this bill. SECTION 2. Amends Article 601(b), Sec. 6.111, Vernon Civil Statutes, relating to reports required by the General Services Commission (GSC) from institutions of higher education about space lease contracts and requires that they only be required on an annual basis. SECTION 3. Amends Article 601(b), Sec. 14.03(a), Vernon's Civil Statutes, to require that reports about vehicle fleets required by the GSC may be required no more that semi-annually. SECTION 4. Amends Section 51.0051, Education Code, concerning annual operating budgets to no longer require that the report be sent to the state auditor. SECTION 5. Amends Section 51.912(c), Education Code, concerning equity ownership and business participation to allow such information to be included in the appropriate annual report required under Section 51.005, Education Code. SECTION 6. Amends Section 54.406, Education Code, by deleting the report on fees and charges at the University of Houston System because it is reported elsewhere. SECTION 7. Amends Section 61.073, Education Code, to eliminate reports required of junior and community colleges concerning allocation of funds for tuition and fee exemptions. SECTION 8. Amends Section 66.05(a) and (b), Education Code, to simplify detailed reports required concerning their permanent university fund. SECTION 9. Amends Section 66.06(b), Education Code, to simplify reports requiring written objectives and performance evaluation by the UT System of its investment objectives. SECTION 10. Amends Section 51.572, Education Code, concerning conditional gifts or grants from foreign persons to eliminate the statutorily directed form to allow the secretary of state to establish a form that will meet federal standards. SECTION 11. Amends Section 51.573, Education Code, concerning conditional gifts or grants from foreign persons to conform to new federal legislation, thereby increasing the threshold from $50,000 to $250,000. SECTION 12. Amends Section 31.157(b), Natural Resource Code, so that any reports concerning real estate inventory of the Natural Resources Code may not be required more than semi-annually. SECTION 13. Repeals the following provisions of the Education Code: (a) Sec. 61.0571 (minority and female-owned business contracts reporting) (b) Sec. 51.507 (report of gifts to the institutions to the commissioner requiring matching money) (c) Sec. 61.080 (report on implementation of 150/hour accounting programs) (d) Sec. 61.083(b-d) (review and report about vocational programs) (e) Sec. 101.21 (Stephen F. Austin University report) (f) Sec. 111.32 (a report by University of Houston) SECTION 14. Emergency Clause SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to public notice posted on April 14, 1995, the Committee on State Affairs convened in a public hearing on April 19, 1995 to consider HB 2448. The Chair laid out HB 2448 and recognized Rep. Duncan to explain the bill. The Chair recognized Rep. Duncan to close. The Chair left HB 2448 pending. In a public hearing on April 24, 1995, the Chair laid out HB 2448. HB 2448 was reported favorably without amendment with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars which prevailed by a record vote of 10 ayes, 0 nays, 3 pnv, 2 absent.