By Haywood S.B. No. 1397
76R7321 ESH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of a virtual university to assist elected
1-3 officials of rural local governments.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 2306.101 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 2306.101. VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY. (a) In this section,
1-8 "virtual university" means a consortium that provides training or
1-9 educational services through the use of the Internet, satellite
1-10 communications, or other distance learning technology to students
1-11 residing in different areas.
1-12 (b) The department, through the community affairs division
1-13 or any other division, shall contract with a community-based
1-14 organization or nonprofit entity to establish and operate a
1-15 virtual university for elected officials of local governments
1-16 located in rural areas of this state.
1-17 (c) The virtual university must use distance learning
1-18 technology available through public and private institutions of
1-19 higher education and state and federal agencies to provide
1-20 specialized training, seminars, workshops, and courses to elected
1-21 officials of rural local governments. The virtual university may:
1-22 (1) offer training in financial management, employment
1-23 law, government accounting, environmental law, and project
1-24 management; and
2-1 (2) provide on-line seminars relating to changes in
2-2 federal law or regulations or state law or rules to elected
2-3 officials who cannot otherwise attend the seminars.
2-4 (d) The department and the entity with which the department
2-5 contracts shall seek financial support from the private sector,
2-6 including charitable foundations that have supported rural
2-7 economic development projects. The virtual university may also
2-8 charge rural local governments a reasonable fee for training
2-9 provided to elected officials.
2-10 (e) The department and the entity with which the department
2-11 contracts shall assemble a team of state, federal, and
2-12 private-sector employees to:
2-13 (1) identify new training materials and opportunities
2-14 that are not available from existing service providers;
2-15 (2) determine how to best meet the needs of elected
2-16 officials of rural local governments;
2-17 (3) develop training programs to familiarize elected
2-18 officials of rural local governments with using the Internet and
2-19 other distance learning technology; and
2-20 (4) work with state and federal agencies to determine
2-21 the best methods for training elected officials of rural local
2-22 governments about policies and regulations within the agencies'
2-23 respective jurisdictions.
2-24 (f) Before making the virtual university available in all
2-25 rural areas of this state, the department and the entity with which
2-26 the department contracts must operate the virtual university as a
2-27 pilot project in not more than three separate rural areas. During
3-1 the operation of the pilot project, the department and the entity
3-2 shall:
3-3 (1) assess the current state of distance learning
3-4 technology available in rural areas;
3-5 (2) identify obstacles to expanding distance learning
3-6 in rural areas; and
3-7 (3) identify the specific training needs of elected
3-8 officials in rural areas that are not being met.
3-9 (g) Subsection (f) and this subsection expire September 1,
3-10 2003.
3-11 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-17 passage, and it is so enacted.