84R10508 YDB-D
 
  By: Nelson S.B. No. 1277
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to training and education for state agency administrators
  and employees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 656.043, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 656.043.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "state
  agency" means a department, agency, or institution of the
  executive, legislative, or judicial branch of [this] state
  government, including an institution of higher education as defined
  by Section 61.003, Education Code.
         SECTION 2.  Section 656.047, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 656.047.  PAYMENT OF PROGRAM EXPENSES. (a) Except as
  provided by this section or other law, a [A] state agency may spend
  public funds as appropriate to pay the salary, tuition and other
  fees, travel and living expenses, training stipend, expense of
  training materials, and other necessary expenses of an instructor,
  student, or other participant in a training or education program.
         (b)  For an administrator or employee of a state agency who
  seeks reimbursement for a training or education program offered by
  an institution of higher education or private or independent
  institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
  Education Code, the agency may only pay the tuition expenses for a
  program course successfully completed by the administrator or
  employee at an accredited institution of higher education.
         SECTION 3.  Section 656.048, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b) to read as follows:
         (b)  A state agency shall adopt rules requiring that before
  an administrator or employee of the agency may be reimbursed under
  Section 656.047(b),  the executive head of the agency must
  authorize the tuition reimbursement payment.
         SECTION 4.  Section 656.101, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as
  follows:
               (1)  "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section
  656.043.
               (1-a)  "State [and "state] employee" has the meaning
  [have the meanings] assigned by Section 572.002 [except that the
  terms do not include a river authority or an employee of a river
  authority].
         SECTION 5.  Section 656.102, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 656.102.  AGENCY POLICY. (a) Before a state agency
  spends any money on training for a state employee, the state agency
  must adopt a policy governing the training of employees, in
  addition to the rules required by Section 656.048, that requires
  training to relate to an employee's duties following the training.
         (b)  The policy must:
               (1)  provide clear and objective guidelines to govern
  tuition reimbursement for an administrator or employee of a state
  agency who is enrolled in training for which the administrator or
  employee seeks reimbursement from this state; and
               (2)  address tuition reimbursement for nontraditional
  training, including online courses or courses not credited towards
  a degree.
         (c)  The state agency shall post the policy adopted under
  this section on the employment section of the agency's Internet
  website.
         SECTION 6.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  training and education expenses paid by a state agency on or after
  the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.