LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 15, 2013

TO:
Honorable Kel Seliger, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB1741 by Zaffirini (relating to training for and complaints regarding members of the governing board of a public institution of higher education.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill amends the Education Code as it relates to training for and complaints regarding members of  the governing board of a public institution of higher education. Under provisions of the bill, the Higher Education Coordinating Board (Board) must develop an intense short orientation course for members of the governing boards of institutions of higher education who hold appointive positions. The bill includes specific criteria regarding the content of the orientation course. 

The bill also requires the Board to establish a process by which they can accept a claim of abuse of power or mismanagement by a member of a governing board of an institution of higher education. If after investigating the claim, the Board finds evidence to support a full investigation, the Board shall refer the claim to the appropriate investigative body, including the attorney general or state auditor, who would submit a report to the Board regarding its findings. The bill includes specific corrective measures the Board can take after reviewing the report. The Board would be required to make all claims and reports available to the public on the Board's Internet website.

Provisions of the bill will be implemented within existing resources by the affected agencies and institutions of higher education.


Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
302 Office of the Attorney General, 308 State Auditor's Office, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration
LBB Staff:
UP, KK, SK, GO