C.S.H.B. 912 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 912
By: Madden
Public Education
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND 

Under current law, the board of trustees of a school district is required
to provide each term contract teacher with a copy of his or her contract
along with a copy of the board's employment policies. School districts now
have various dissemination tools available, including the Internet, which
are efficient and timely.  However, school districts are still required to
dedicate staff time and funds to the distribution of a paper copy of the
board's employment policies. This requirement can be a paperwork burden
for school districts. 


PURPOSE

C.S.H.B. 912 requires school districts to  distribute a paper copy of the
board's employment policies on the teacher's request. The purpose of this
bill is to provide financial relief to school districts by reducing the
amount of paperwork and staff work dedicated to printing and distributing
readily available information in their efforts curb expenditures.   


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 


ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 912 amends the Education Code by requiring the board of trustees
to provide each teacher, under a term contract, with a  copy of the
board's employment policies on the teacher's request. The bill requires
the school district to place the board's employment policies on the
district website, if applicable. The bill requires the board to make a
copy of the employment policies available at each school in the district. 


EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or,  if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 912 modifies the original version by reinstating the provision
requiring a board of trustees to provide each teacher with a  copy of the
board's employment policies. C.S.H.B. 912 modifies the original by adding
that providing each teacher with a  copy of the board's employment
policies be done at the teacher's request. C.S.H.B. 912 modifies the
original by adding provisions relating to the posting of employment
policies on the district website and making employment policies available
at each school in the district.