SRC-MWN S.B. 1743 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1743
By: Nelson
Education
4/16/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
protects education records maintained by educational institutions. FERPA
allows release of such personally identifiable information without parental
consent only under certain circumstances and for certain purposes. As
proposed, S.B. 1743 amends the Texas Education Code to authorize a school
district to choose to designate any or all items it desires as "directory
information," subject to release in compliance with FERPA parental consent
law and the Public Information Act. 

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 26, Education Code, by adding Section 26.0084, as
follows: 

Sec. 26.0084. DESIGNATION AND RELEASE OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION. Authorizes
a school district to designate any or all information defined as directory
information by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as
directory information which is required to be released under the Texas
Public Information Act (TPIA) after compliance with the requirements of
FERPA for the release of directory information. Requires any information
not so designated to not be subject to the TPIA and to be released only in
accordance with FERPA. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.