BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1286

By: Howard, Donna

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The University Interscholastic League (UIL) administers educational and extracurricular academic, athletic, and music contests for Texas students enrolled in public or charter schools. The UIL operates as part of The University of Texas at Austin, under the auspices of the vice president for diversity and community engagement. The terms of participation that govern all UIL contests are set forth in the UIL's "Constitution and Contest Rules." Changes and additions to the rules are voted on by the UIL's legislative council, which consists of 28 public school administrators. Before an approved rule change can take effect, the commissioner of education must also approve the rule.

H.B. 1286 prohibits the UIL's legislative council from taking final action on a new or amended rule that would result in additional costs for a member school unless a fiscal impact statement regarding the rule is completed.  

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

H.B. 1286 amends the Education Code to prohibit the legislative council of the University Interscholastic League from taking final action on a new or amended rule that would result in additional costs for a member school unless a fiscal impact statement regarding the rule has been completed in accordance with the bill's provisions. The bill establishes that final action by the legislative council means submitting a rule to school superintendents, if the submission is required under the legislative council's procedures, or submitting a rule approved by the council to the commissioner of education for the commissioner's approval, if the rule does not require submission to school superintendents under the legislative council's procedures. The bill requires a fiscal impact statement regarding a rule to include a projection of the costs to member schools of complying with the rule during the five-year period following the effective date of the rule and an explanation of the methodology used to analyze the fiscal impact of the rule and determine the costs projection. The bill requires a copy of the fiscal statement, if a statement is prepared for a rule, to be attached to the rule when it is submitted for approval to school superintendents, if applicable, and when it is submitted to the commissioner for approval.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.