By Garcia H.B. No. 2039 77R6432 CAS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to an independent audit of the Texas Education Agency. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. (a) An independent certified public accountant or 1-5 firm of independent certified public accountants selected as 1-6 provided by Subsection (b) of this section shall conduct a 1-7 comprehensive audit of the Texas Education Agency. The audit must 1-8 include an examination of the use and effectiveness of and 1-9 procedures used and actions taken in connection with the adoption 1-10 or development, administration, and grading of assessment 1-11 instruments prescribed by Sections 39.023(a), (c), and (l), 1-12 Education Code. The certified public accountant or firm performing 1-13 the audit may contract with one or more persons with expertise in 1-14 the field of educational testing or public school accountability to 1-15 the extent necessary to perform the audit prescribed by this 1-16 subsection. 1-17 (b) The certified public accountant or firm of certified 1-18 public accountants performing the audit prescribed by Subsection 1-19 (a) of this section shall be selected by a seven-member committee 1-20 composed of three members of the house of representatives appointed 1-21 by the speaker of the house, two members of the senate appointed by 1-22 the lieutenant governor, and the chairman of the committee in each 1-23 house of the legislature with primary responsibility for public 1-24 education, who shall serve as cochairmen of the selection 2-1 committee. 2-2 (c) Not later than October 31, 2001, the speaker of the 2-3 house of representatives and the lieutenant governor shall make the 2-4 committee appointments required by Subsection (b) of this section. 2-5 Not later than December 31, 2001, that committee shall appoint an 2-6 independent certified public accountant or firm of independent 2-7 certified public accountants to conduct the audit of the Texas 2-8 Education Agency as required by Subsection (a) of this section. 2-9 Not later than December 31, 2002, the certified public accountant 2-10 or firm, as applicable, shall submit a written report of the 2-11 results of the audit to the speaker of the house of 2-12 representatives, the lieutenant governor, and each member of the 2-13 selection committee. 2-14 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-15 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-16 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-17 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-18 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.