BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1682

By: Weber

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Some public school employees have raised concerns that their supervisors direct them to make charitable contributions. In some school districts, teachers and other school employees are required to attend meetings at which charitable contributions are solicited. Such meetings take away from valuable instructional and lesson-planning time, particularly in light of the increasing demand on instructional personnel to attend staff development meetings, parent conferences, campus planning sessions, and other administrative meetings. Additionally, a school employee's decision whether to make a charitable contribution should be a private matter.

H.B. 1682 seeks to remedy this situation by prohibiting school districts from requiring or coercing district employees to make charitable contributions.

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. 1682 amends the Education Code to prohibit a school district board of trustees or school district employee from directly or indirectly requiring or coercing any district employee to make a contribution to a charitable organization or in response to a fund-raiser or to attend a meeting called for the purpose of soliciting charitable contributions. The bill prohibits a district board of trustees or district employee from directly or indirectly requiring or coercing any district employee to refrain from making a contribution to a charitable organization or in response to a fund-raiser or from attending a meeting called for the purpose of soliciting charitable contributions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.