|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the use of state institutions of higher education to |
|
|
provide training to state agency employees. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 656.043, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 656.043. DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this |
|
|
subchapter: |
|
|
(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
|
|
(2) "State[, "state] agency" means a department, |
|
|
agency, or institution of this state, including an institution of |
|
|
higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 656.049, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 656.049. AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT. (a) A state agency |
|
|
may contract with another state, local, or federal department, |
|
|
agency, or institution, including a state-supported college or |
|
|
university, to train or educate its administrators and employees or |
|
|
may join in presenting a training or educational program. |
|
|
(b) A state agency may not contract with a private person to |
|
|
train or educate a state agency administrator or employee if the |
|
|
agency is required under Section 656.050 to use an institution of |
|
|
higher education to provide the training or education. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 656, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 656.050 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 656.050. TRAINING PROVIDED BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER |
|
|
EDUCATION. (a) A state agency must use an institution of higher |
|
|
education to provide training or education to its administrators |
|
|
and employees if the institution can provide the training or |
|
|
education: |
|
|
(1) at a comparable level of quality but at a lower |
|
|
cost to the agency; |
|
|
(2) on the subject matter required by the state |
|
|
agency; |
|
|
(3) in the geographic area in which the state agency |
|
|
administrator or employee is located; |
|
|
(4) not later than the date the agency requires the |
|
|
training or education to be completed; and |
|
|
(5) according to a schedule acceptable to the agency. |
|
|
(b) A state agency may use an institution of higher |
|
|
education to supplement or enhance the training or education |
|
|
provided by full-time state agency employees to the agency's other |
|
|
employees. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 656.049, Government Code, as amended by |
|
|
this Act, applies only to a contract entered into on or after the |
|
|
effective date of this Act. A contract entered into before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the |
|
|
contract was entered into, and the former law is continued in effect |
|
|
for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |