BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1729
81R11467 KSD-D By: West
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
S.B. 1729 revisits Section 61.071 (Student Representatives on Certain Board Advisory Committees), Education Code, for the purpose of changing the term of a student member of certain Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) advisory committees. The term is changed from an implicit one-year term, to an explicit two-year term. This was done because there were issues with the ability of the students to fully orient themselves to their position. By the time these students were getting comfortable with their responsibilities, their term was nearly up. To alleviate this problem the term is extended to two years. This would give students ample time to get fully up to speed with their responsibilities and provide the committees a more efficient and continuous means for this process.
As proposed, S.B. 1729 provides that the term of a student representative on a THECB advisory committee may not be less than two years.
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 61.071, Education Code, by amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d), and adding Subsection (b-1), as follows:
(b) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), not later than August 1 of each odd-numbered year, rather than each year, to provide to each institution of higher education, among other things, a list of available positions for student representatives on THECB advisory committees, the effective term of each of those positions, rather than terms of those positions, and the duties and requirements for each position.
(b-1) Prohibits the term of a student representative on a THECB advisory committee from being less than two years.
(c) Makes a conforming change.
(d) Requires the president of each institution of higher education, not later than the following December 1, to forward the applications of the nominees selected by the president to THECB for consideration. Requires THECB, not later than the following February 1, to appoint a total of not fewer than four student representatives, rather than not less than four student representatives, to designated advisory committees of THECB, including certain committees.
SECTION 2. Makes application of the changes in law made by this Act to Section 61.071, Education Code, prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2009.