AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
In November 2012, Bowie County residents (except those who resided in the college's original small taxing district) voted to annex all of Bowie County into the Texarkana College taxing district. Texarkana College now requests an amendment to Section 130.203 (Texarkana College District Service Area), Education Code, to reflect the expansion of the district to include all of Bowie County. In addition, current members of the Texarkana College board of trustees (board) want to ensure the newly annexed portions of Bowie County have a direct voice in the governance of the college. To enable the board to restructure, Texarkana College is requesting permission to reduce its governing board from nine places to seven places, align the structure of the board with the existing four county commissioner's districts, and add three at-large positions to the board structure. S.B. 1855 restructures the governing board of Texarkana College and updates the statute to reflect the expanded territory to include all of Bowie County.
S.B. 1855 amends current law relating to the Texarkana College District.
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 Subchapter E, Chapter 130, Education Code, by adding Section 130.0824, as follows:
Sec. 130.0824. GOVERNING BOARD OF TEXARKANA COLLEGE DISTRICT. (a) Authorizes the governing board of the Texarkana College District, notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, to by resolution or order of the board decrease the number of board members from nine to seven, with four members elected from respective commissioner precincts and three members elected at large.
(b) Requires that a resolution or order of the governing board under this section establish transition terms of office to conform to elections held in even-numbered years and staggered six-year terms, with the initial board terms of three members expiring in 2014, of two members expiring in 2016, and of two members expiring in 2018.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 130.203, Education Code, to provide that the service area of the Texarkana College District includes the territory within the taxing district, which includes all of Bowie County and certain other areas, rather than which includes part of the municipality of Texarkana and part of the Pleasant Grove Independent School District.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2013.