BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1599 By: Truan Int'l Relations, Trade & Tech. 3-30-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Emerging industry and growing urban areas in the border region of Texas and Mexico have contributed to the degradation of that area's environment. One way to ameliorate the effects of pollution on human health is to educate school children and community residents on environmental degradation and the potential for schools and communities to effect change. The Texas Environmental Education Advisory Committee (TEEAC), created in 1991, is not a federally mandated advisory committee and may cease to exist at the end of the legislative session. Only two of 85 TEEAC representatives help develop teachers' staff in the valley area. Even if TEEAC's programs remain in place, the border area will continue to lack environmental education programs. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1599 creates the Texas-Mexico Border Environmental Education Council and establishes its duties. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 11, Education Code, by adding Subchapter I, as follows: SUBCHAPTER I. TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COUNCIL Sec. 11.971. DEFINITION. Defines "council." Sec. 11.972. TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COUNCIL. (a) Creates the Texas-Mexico Border Environmental Education Council (council). (b) Sets forth the membership of the council. (c) Provides that the at-large member serves as the presiding officer of the council. (d) Requires the Region 1 and Region 19 education service centers to coordinate the council. Sec. 11.973. COMPENSATION. Provides that service on the council by a state officer or employee is an additional duty of a council member's office or employment. Provides that a council member is not entitled to compensation as a council member but is entitled to reimbursement of the member's travel expenses under provisions in the General Appropriations Act. Sec. 11.974. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) Sets forth the required duties of the council. (b) Authorizes the council to create environmental education programs through optional formal curriculum courses in public schools and institutions of higher education. (c) Requires the council to coordinate its activities with any appropriate advisory committee established by the agency under Subchapter H and with the office of Texas-Mexico Health and Environmental Issues established under Chapter 12F, Health and Safety Code. Sec. 11.975. PARTICIPATION BY AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) Sets forth the list of entities which are required to coordinate with the council in order to implement this subchapter. (b) Defines "institution of higher education." Sec. 11.976. GIFTS AND GRANTS. (a) Authorizes the council to accept gifts and grants made to the council for the purposes of this subchapter. (b) Requires money received under this section to be credited to a separate account in the general revenue fund and may be used only for the purposes of this subchapter. Provides that Sections 403.094 and 403.095, Government Code, do not apply to the account created under this subsection. Sec. 11.977. STAFF. Authorizes the agency to make available to the council any agency staff or supplies that the agency considers necessary to assist the council in the performance of its duties under this subchapter. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.