BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2465
By: Seliger
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute (institute) was established in 1995 at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) to provide leadership, ethics, and public service training to students throughout Texas. Each year, selected high school leaders travel to the UTPB campus in the summer to attend the Shepperd Scholars Summit, and to Austin to attend an annual statewide leadership forum. To date, over 33,000 young people have completed the training at the institute. However, a recent audit conducted by the comptroller of public accounts found that statutory permission is needed in order for the institute to use state funds to pay for student travel.
S.B. 2465 authorizes the institute to expend state funds for student travel.
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 660.004, Government Code, to authorize funds appropriated for the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute of The University of Texas of the Permian Basin to be used to pay for costs associated with the institute's educational programs for public secondary and university-level students, including registration fees, ground or air transportation, lodging, meals, training costs, and related expenses.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2009.