BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 777

By: Ellis

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent legislation created the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission to help ensure that educators in Texas have the guidance and resources necessary to teach children the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides. Under current law, the 15 appointed public members of the commission serve four-year terms that expire at the same time. S.B. 777 seeks to assist the commission in meeting its purpose by staggering the terms of the commission's public members to allow for continuity during future transitions.

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

S.B. 777 amends the Government Code to establish staggered four-year terms for the public members of the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission, with the terms of seven or eight members expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year.  The bill requires, when appointing public members to the commission to serve terms that begin February 1, 2015, the governor to appoint two members to terms expiring February 1, 2017, and three members to terms expiring February 1, 2019; the lieutenant governor to appoint three members to terms expiring February 1, 2017, and two members to terms expiring February 1, 2019; and the speaker of the house of representatives to appoint two members to terms expiring February 1, 2017, and three members to terms expiring February 1, 2019. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.