BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 668

By: Hughes

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Among the Senate Education Committee's interim charges was the study of mandate relief and innovation, specifically the study of cost drivers, unnecessary mandates, and the reduction and elimination of inefficiencies with a focus on policies for improving student outcomes and better utilization of taxpayer resources. To assist the committee, the lieutenant governor formed a workgroup composed of education stakeholders representing teachers, school administrators, and policy organizations. The workgroup unanimously agreed on a set of recommendations, which S.B. 668 seeks to implement.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 2.01 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 668 amends the Education Code to require the commissioner of education by rule to allow an applicable charter holder for an open-enrollment charter school to provide written notice of the establishment of a new charter school in the same time, manner, and form as provided by commissioner rule with regard to the establishment of a campus up to 18 months before the date on which the campus is anticipated to open. The bill authorizes an applicable charter holder to submit a request for approval for an expansion amendment up to 18 months before the date on which the expansion will be effective. The notice or request does not obligate the charter holder to open a new campus or to complete the proposed expansion, as applicable. The bill includes the superintendent of each public school district from which a proposed charter school or campus is likely to draw students among the persons to whom notice must be provided on receipt by the commissioner of an application for the charter for a charter school under procedures adopted by commissioner rule.

S.B. 668, with regard to certain information relating to each educator preparation program that the State Board for Educator Certification is required to make available on its website, revises the determination by which information relating to the perseverance of beginning teachers in the profession is made. The bill removes the annual deadline for the requirement that a district or charter school make a requisition for instructional material using the online requisition program maintained by the commissioner. The bill removes the commissioner from the entities to whom a school is required to report information related to the administration of an epinephrine auto‑injector. The bill repeals provisions requiring:

·         the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to establish an online clearinghouse of information relating to best practices of campuses, districts, and charter schools;

·         TEA to develop certain standards and provide guidance with regard to high school completion and success and college readiness programs; and

·         each district to purchase cost‑effective energy‑efficient light bulbs for use in instructional facilities.

S.B. 668 amends the Government Code to exempt a school district from the requirement to record and report on a publicly accessible website the district's metered amount of electricity, water, or natural gas consumed for which it is responsible to pay and the aggregate costs for such utility services.

S.B. 668 applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.

S.B. 668 repeals the following provisions of the Education Code:

·         Section 7.009

·         Section 25.007(a-1)

·         Section 39.233

·         Section 44.903

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.