SRC-LBB S.B. 1876 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1876
78R9633 JSA-FBy: Ratliff
Infrastructure Development and Security
4/1/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) conditional
grant program is open to female and minority students attending a Texas
public institution of higher education with the intention of working as
civil engineers for TxDOT for two years after obtaining a degree. Because
the program is race and gender-based, it is believed to be vulnerable to
legal challenge. As proposed, S.B. 1876 establishes eligibility for the
program based on "economic disadvantage" and deletes statutory references
to women and minority applicants. 

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 Section 56.141(4), Education Code, to redefine
"eligible profession" as the profession of engineering or another
profession as defined by Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) rule
for which TxDOT determines there is a need in TxDOT's workforce.  Deletes
"as having a significant statistical underrepresentation of minorities or
women" from the definition. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 56.142(a), Education Code, to make a conforming
change. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 56.143, Education Code,  to amend the
requirements for a student's  eligibility for a conditional grant by
replacing the terms "minority" and "woman" with "economically
disadvantaged." 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 56.147, Education Code, by reenacting and
amending Subsection (b), as amended by Chapters 151 and 165, Acts of the
74th legislature, Regular Session, 1995, and by adding Subsection (c), as
follows: 

(b)  Requires TxDOT to issue not less than $400,000 annually in
conditional grants under this subchapter from money available to fund the
conditional grant program. 

(c)  Authorizes TxDOT to provide outreach programs to recruit students
into the conditional grant program. 

SECTION 5.  (a)  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.

           (b)  Makes application of this Act prospective.