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.