By Lucio                                              S.B. No. 1456
       74R2952 JSA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to alternative dispute resolution at public institutions
    1-3  of higher education.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 51.9085 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 51.9085.  ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICIES.  (a)
    1-8  The governing board of each institution of higher education shall
    1-9  submit a report at least once during each state fiscal biennium, as
   1-10  provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, relating
   1-11  to the alternative dispute resolution programs of the institution.
   1-12  The report must include:
   1-13              (1)  a description of any arbitration, mediation, or
   1-14  other alternative dispute resolution procedure in place at the
   1-15  institution for resolving:
   1-16                    (A)  grievances or complaints by students; or
   1-17                    (B)  grievances by or disputes relating to
   1-18  faculty or other staff, including disputes relating to tenure,
   1-19  compensation, promotion or demotion, dismissal, performance
   1-20  evaluation, work assignment, or working conditions; and
   1-21              (2)  a description of any plans or actions by the
   1-22  institution to establish, expand, or improve alternative dispute
   1-23  resolution procedures at the institution, including training
   1-24  programs for mediators or administrative staff.
    2-1        (b)  The coordinating board may assist an institution in
    2-2  establishing or operating alternative dispute resolution procedures
    2-3  at the institution.
    2-4        (c)  In this section, "governing board" and "institution of
    2-5  higher education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
    2-6        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
    2-7        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-8  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-9  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-10  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-11  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.