BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 637
	By: Gonz�lez, Mary; VanDeaver (Watson)
	Education
	5/19/2019
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Under current law, the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) and the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) superintendents� salary ranges are set by Article IX of the General Appropriations Act. TSD and TSBVI�s superintendents� salaries are also governed by the Education Code, where they are limited to no more than 120 percent of the highest paid instructional administrator�s salary. Setting salary by statute instead of Article IX is an antiquated method for how agencies set salaries.

H.B. 637 eliminates the requirement that TSD and TSBVI superintendents� salary not exceed the salary of the highest paid instructional administrator by 120 percent and instead allows for these salaries to be governed by Article IX, like other agencies. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

C.S.H.B. 637 amends current law relating to the salaries of the superintendent of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the superintendent of the Texas School for the Deaf.

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 Section 30.023(d), Education Code, by deleting existing text prohibiting the annual salary of the superintendent of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) from exceeding 120 percent of the annual salary of the highest paid instructional administrator at the school.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 30.053(d), Education Code, by deleting existing text prohibiting the annual salary of the superintendent of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) from exceeding 120 percent of the annual salary of the highest paid instructional administrator at the school.

SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies to an initial employment contract that is entered into between the superintendent and the governing board of TSBVI or the governing board of TSD, as appropriate, on or after the effective date of this Act. Provides that an employment contract that is initially entered into before the effect date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed at the time the contract was entered into, and the former law remains in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.