HBA-MPM H.B. 478 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 478
By: Seaman
Public Education
3/16/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current state law requires a school district to provide every teacher a
copy of the school board's employment policies, as well as a copy of
Chapter 37, Subchapter A, Education Code (Discipline; Law and Order,
Alternative Settings for Behavior Management).  Because of these
requirements, some school districts are burdened by the costs of providing
copies of this information.  H.B. 478 requires a district to provide copies
of these documents to a teacher only at the teacher's request, but requires
that a copy of these documents, as well as the local policy regarding
student conduct and discipline, be placed at every school in the school
district. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 21.204(d), Education Code, to provide that a
copy of the employment policies of the board of trustees (board) must be
provided to a teacher on the teacher's request. Requires the board to make
a copy of its employment policies available at a reasonable time on request
at each school in the district.   

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 37.018, Education Code, to require each school
district, on request of a teacher or administrator, to provide the teacher
or administrator a copy of this subchapter and a copy of the local policy
relating to this subchapter, instead of requiring the school district to
supply this documentation to each teacher and administrator.  Makes
nonsubstantive changes.   

SECTION 3.  Makes this Act prospective beginning with the 1999-2000 school
year. 

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.
            Effective date:  upon passage.