By Turner of Harris H.B. No. 1191 75R5538 CAS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the Texas Education Policy Council and the Texas 1-3 Education Coordinating Council. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended 1-6 by adding Chapter 448 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 448. TEXAS EDUCATION POLICY COUNCIL AND TEXAS 1-8 EDUCATION COORDINATING COUNCIL 1-9 Sec. 448.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "policy council" 1-10 means the Texas Education Policy Council. 1-11 Sec. 448.002. POLICY COUNCIL. (a) The policy council is an 1-12 agency of the state. 1-13 (b) The membership of the policy council consists of: 1-14 (1) the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of 1-15 the house of representatives; 1-16 (2) two members of the senate appointed by the 1-17 lieutenant governor; 1-18 (3) two members of the house of representatives 1-19 appointed by the speaker; and 1-20 (4) four members appointed by the governor. 1-21 Sec. 448.003. TENURE OF APPOINTED MEMBERS. An appointed 1-22 member of the policy council serves at the pleasure of the 1-23 appointing officer. 1-24 Sec. 448.004. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of 2-1 the policy council serves without compensation for service on the 2-2 council but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary 2-3 expenses incurred in performing council duties. 2-4 Sec. 448.005. DUTIES OF POLICY COUNCIL. The policy council 2-5 shall develop methods to promote a more effective and cohesive 2-6 public education system in this state. To develop those methods, 2-7 the policy council shall: 2-8 (1) conduct an in-depth analysis of the public 2-9 education system; 2-10 (2) identify critical problems in the state's public 2-11 education system and recommend strategies to solve those problems; 2-12 and 2-13 (3) assess the use of state and local funds in the 2-14 public education system. 2-15 Sec. 448.006. COORDINATING COUNCIL. (a) The Texas 2-16 Education Coordinating Council shall serve in an advisory capacity 2-17 to the policy council. 2-18 (b) The membership of the coordinating council consists of: 2-19 (1) the commissioner of education; 2-20 (2) the commissioner of higher education; 2-21 (3) the director of the Texas Juvenile Probation 2-22 Commission; 2-23 (4) the executive director of the Texas Youth 2-24 Commission; and 2-25 (5) three members representing the public education 2-26 community, with the governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker 2-27 of the house each appointing one of those members. 3-1 Sec. 448.007. SUNSET PROVISION. The policy council and the 3-2 coordinating council are subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). 3-3 Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the 3-4 policy council and coordinating council are abolished and this 3-5 chapter expires September 1, 2009. 3-6 Sec. 448.008. APPOINTMENT OF OTHER ADVISORY BODIES. The 3-7 policy council may establish other advisory councils, task forces, 3-8 or commissions the policy council considers necessary to accomplish 3-9 the purposes of this chapter. 3-10 Sec. 448.009. PRESIDING OFFICER. (a) The governor is the 3-11 chair of the policy council. 3-12 (b) The lieutenant governor is the vice chair and presides 3-13 at meetings in the governor's absence. The speaker of the house of 3-14 representatives presides at meetings when both the governor and the 3-15 lieutenant governor are absent. 3-16 Sec. 448.010. MEETINGS. The policy council shall meet at 3-17 least quarterly and at other times at the call of the chair. 3-18 Sec. 448.011. GRANTS AND DONATIONS. The policy council may 3-19 accept grants and donations from public and private entities. 3-20 Sec. 448.012. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF. (a) The policy 3-21 council may employ an executive director. 3-22 (b) The executive director may employ personnel necessary to 3-23 administer the responsibilities of the policy council. 3-24 Sec. 448.013. PUBLIC EDUCATION PLAN; REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. 3-25 The policy council shall annually submit to the legislature a plan 3-26 detailing the actions necessary to promote an effective and 3-27 cohesive public education system in this state and a report of the 4-1 policy council's activities. 4-2 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 4-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 4-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 4-8 passage, and it is so enacted.