HBA-MPM S.B. 1780 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1780 By: Fraser Higher Education 5/19/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, public junior colleges and public technical institutions in Texas provide technical and vocational programs to meet workforce demands, and in some instances adapt their programs to meet the needs of local businesses. The costs of developing or redesigning a program have been shouldered either solely by the college or institute, or in partnership with another entity. S.B. 1780 establishes the high priority program fund and requires the comptroller of public accounts to appropriate awards from the fund to an eligible college or institute in an amount recommended by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 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 Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, by adding Chapter 151, as follows: CHAPTER 151. HIGH PRIORITY PROGRAM FUND Sec. 151.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines the following terms for the purpose of this section: "coordinating board," "high priority program," "high priority program fund," "public junior college," and "public technical institute." Sec. 151.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. Establishes the high priority program fund (fund) and sets forth the purpose of the fund. Sec. 151.003. ADMINISTRATION; GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES. Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to administer the fund and to determine if a public junior college (college) or public technical institute (institute) is eligible to receive an award for the fund. Sets forth criteria that a college or institute must demonstrate to the board in order to be eligible to receive such funding. Requires the board, in consultation with colleges and institutes, to adopt guidelines and procedures for the administration of this chapter. Sec. 151.004. FUNDING. Provides that the fund is funded by appropriations if made, or by available funds, and by gifts, grants, and donations made for that purposes. Requires the comptroller of public accounts to issue warrants to each eligible college or institute in the amount certified by the board to the comptroller from money appropriated from the fund. Authorizes the money to be expended by the college or institute only for specific purposes relating to specific high priority programs for which the award is made. Prohibits the money from being expended for the general support of ongoing instruction at the college or institute. Authorizes the money to be expended for facilities if necessary for specific purposes relating to the program and approved by the board. Authorizes money appropriated from the fund to be used to match a grant provided by private industry for a particular program at an eligible college or institute. Provides that supplies, materials, services, or equipment purchased by a college or institute with money received under this chapter are not subject to the General Services Commission's authority. Sec. 151.005. PROGRESS REPORTS. Requires a college or institute receiving money under this chapter to report on the progress of the funded high priority program to the board no later than September 1 of each year of the program until the board provides that further reports are not required. Sec. 151.006. MERIT REVIEW. Requires the board to evaluate the effectiveness of this chapter and programs receiving money under it and to report its findings to the Legislative Budget Board no later than September 1 of the second year of each state fiscal biennium. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.