BWH H.B. 1294 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


COUNTY AFFAIRS
H.B. 1294
By: Solomons
4-2-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

Current law requires that all County Commissioners must complete a minimum
of 16 classroom hours of continuing education, except for a County
Commissioner who: (1) serves in a county with a population of 1.5 million
or more, (2) has served continuously for 12 years or more and (3) attends
at least 15 hours of staff briefing on continuing education subjects in
each 12 month period.  There are opportunities for continuing education at
annual county-related organizational conferences and at colleges and
universities which would benefit commissioners in professional
development. 

PURPOSE

The intent of this bill is to allow an exception to the continuing
education requirements for county commissioners. 

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.  Amends Section 81.0025, Local Government Code by adding
Subsection (f) which 
allows an exception to the continuing education requirements.  Continuing
education requirements would not apply to a county commissioner who serves
in a county with a population of 250,000 or more, who has served
continuously for 12 years or more, and who in a 12 month period completes
at least three semester credit hours of graduate level course work in a
field of study directly related to county government with a grade of B or
higher in each course completed during the period. 

SECTION 2.  Effective clause: September 1, 1998.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.