HBA-MSH C.S.H.B. 3463 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3463
By: Smith
Public Education
4/29/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, it is an offense to disclose to a member of the public a
certified agenda or tape recording of a meeting that was lawfully closed to
the public.  School boards often hear grievances in closed meetings. On an
appeal to the commissioner of education, a school district is required to
provide records of the hearings.  This may be a violation of law pertaining
to closed meetings.  C.S.H.B. 3463 provides that a disclosure of records to
the commissioner of education by a school district is not a violation of
law. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3463 amends the Education Code to provide that a disclosure by a
school district to the commissioner of education (commissioner) of a record
relating to an appeal to the commissioner of an action by the school
district, including a record of a local hearing, is not in violation of
provisions relating to lawfully closed meetings. 
  
EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3463 differs from the original by conforming to the Texas
Legislative Council style.