AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission execute agreements for the purpose of sharing data for the preparation of education and workforce studies at education research centers (ERC). Education research centers were created by the legislature in 2006 for the purpose of conducting research for the benefit of education in Texas. The 83rd Legislature passed additional legislation that established ERC advisory boards and made several changes to the oversight and operation of ERCs. The advisory boards evaluate proposals and ensure appropriate data use, including compliance with state and federal laws governing the use and access to the data.
Currently, ERC advisory boards are not subject to open records requests. S.B. 685 amends the Education Code to ensure that ERC advisory boards are subject to open records requests under Chapters 551 and 552, Government Code.
S.B. 685 amends current law relating to the applicability of open meetings and public information laws to the education research center advisory board.
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 Sections 1.006(b) and (e), Education Code, as follows:
(b) Provides that the education research center advisory board is considered to be a governmental body for purposes of Chapters 551 (Open Meetings) and 552 (Public Information), Government Code, rather than provides that the advisory board is not a governmental body for purposes of Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code.
(e) Requires that the advisory board meet at least quarterly. Authorizes any meeting of the advisory board to be conducted by electronic means, including a meeting by telephone conference call, by video conference call, through the Internet, or by any combination of those means, to the extent and in the manner authorized by Chapter 551, Government Code. Makes a nonsubstantive change.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.