SRC-MWN S.B. 903 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 903 By: Van de Putte Education 5/31/2001 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE Athletic opportunities for men have traditionally been greater than those available to women. S.B. 903 establishes the women's development fund, administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, to help reduce the disparity between women's and men's athletics and to promote equity. S.B. 903 additionally expands opportunities to high school students whose schools due to economic factors have limited athletic facilities, programs, and opportunities. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly 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 is a fund 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 that are 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 programs to be supported with money from the fund, to give priority to programs addressing the needs of public high schools whose economic conditions limit their access to athletic facilities, programs, and opportunities. Requires the board to also consider other relevant factors, including whether a program meets certain criteria. Sec. 51.835. FUNDING. Prohibits the board from implementing this subchapter unless the money is specifically appropriated for that purpose. SECTION 2. Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to conduct a best practices study of woman's athletic development programs currently operated by public institutions of higher education in Texas and in other states and make its findings and recommendations available not later than December 1, 2002, in a report to the legislature and to the public institutions of higher education in this state. Requires the report to include analysis of the effect of the programs studied under this section on subsequent student enrollment in and academic performance at public or private institutions of higher education. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2001.