SRC-JBJ H.B. 3284 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3284
76R14900 KEL-DBy: Van de Putte (Nelson)
Education
5/13/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, a funding disparity exists between men's and women's athletic
programs.  H.B. 3284 would establish a women's athletic development fund,
administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 3284 establishes a women's athletic development fund and
a study of women's athletic development practices at institutions of higher
education. 

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 Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Subchapter V, as
follows: 

SUBCHAPTER V.  WOMEN'S ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT FUND

Sec. 51.831.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines  "board," "fund," and "institution of
higher education." 

Sec. 51.832.  ADMINISTRATION OF FUND.  Provides that the women's athletic
development fund (fund) is in the state treasury.  Requires the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to administer the fund. 

Sec. 51.833.  USE OF FUND.  Requires the board to allocate money in the
fund to institutions of higher education to support women's athletic
development programs operated by the institution on a collaborative basis
with one or more public high schools in this state. 

Sec. 51.834.  CRITERIA IN SELECTING PROGRAMS.  Requires the board, in
selecting which programs may be provided with money from the funds, to give
priority to programs addressing the needs of public high school students
whose economic conditions limit their access to athletic facilities,
programs, and opportunities.  Requires the board to consider other relevant
factors, including whether the program promotes gender equity, includes the
participation of collegiate-level coaches and athletes to the extent that
participation is allowed by the rules of the national intercollegiate
athletic association of which the institution operating the program is a
member, and has a history of increasing athletic opportunities. 

Sec. 51.835. FUNDING.  Prohibits the board from implementing this
subchapter unless money is specifically appropriated for that purpose. 

SECTION 2.  Requires the board to conduct a best practices study of women's
athletic development programs currently operated by public institutions of
higher education in Texas and other states. Requires the board to make its
findings and recommendations available no later than December 1, 2000, in a
report to the legislature and to public institutions of higher education in
this state.  Requires the report to include an analysis of the effect of
the programs studied under this section on subsequent student enrollment in
and academic performance at public and private institutions of higher
education. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 1999, but only if a specific
appropriation for the  implementation of this Act or Subchapter V, Chapter
51, Education Code, as added by this Act, is provided in H.B. 1 (General
Appropriations Act), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999;
otherwise, this Act has no effect. 

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.