SRC-CTC S.B. 1011 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1011
77R6923 QS-FBy: Lucio
Education
3/13/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, faculty members in public institutions of higher learning do not
have an official way to take a personal leave day.  Many faculty members,
due to their nine month contracts, do not accrue vacation time.  Recently,
the state government and public institutions of higher learning have
demanded greater accountability from faculty members, removing the
flexibility in their works schedules that allowed many faculty members to
deal with personal situations many people use their personal leave days
for.  As proposed, S.B. 1011 requires each institution of higher learning
to adopt a minimum personal leave program for faculty members. 

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 51Z, Education Code, by adding Subsection
51.961, as follows: 

Sec. 51.961.  MINIMUM PERSONAL LEAVE PROGRAM FOR HIGHER EDUCATION FACULTY.
Defines "faculty member" and "institution of higher education."  Requires
each institution of higher education to adopt a minimum personal leave
program consisting of five days of personal leave each academic year for
faculty members.  Authorizes an institution of higher education to provide
additional personal leave to faculty members under this section. Authorizes
the governing board of an institution of higher education to adopt a policy
regulating a faculty member's use of personal leave granted under this
section, provided that the policy does not restrict the purposes for which
the leave may be used.  Prohibits a faculty member from carrying forward
from one academic year to the next any unused accumulated personal leave
granted under this section. 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective to the 2001-2002
academic year. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.