SRC-TNM H.B. 1294 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterH.B. 1294
By: Solomons (Haywood)
Intergovernmental Relations
5-15-97
Committee Report (Amended)


DIGEST 

Currently, all county commissioners are required to complete a minimum of
16 classroom hours of continuing education, except for a county
commissioner who serves in a county with a population of 1.5 million or
more, has served continuously for 12 years or more, and attends at least
15 hours of staff briefing on continuing education subjects in each
12-month period.  H.B. 1294 would allow an exception to the continuing
education requirements for county commissioners. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1294 outlines provisions regarding continuing education
requirements for county commissioners. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 81.0025, Local Government Code, by adding
Subsection (f), to provide that in addition to the exceptions under
Subsection (e), this section does not apply to a county commissioner who
serves in a county with a population of 225,000 or more and who has served
continuously for 12 years or more; and in the 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 date: January 1, 1998.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Amendment 1.

Amends Section 81.0025(f), Government Code, to strike "250,000" and
substitute "225,000."