BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1297

By: Powell

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that there are currently no uniform general conditions for public school district construction contracts comparable to those used for other state building construction projects. There have been suggestions that uniform general conditions could lower construction costs by establishing more predictability with regard to bonding, insurance, and certain risk factors. S.B. 1297 seeks to address this issue by authorizing a district to adopt uniform general conditions for use in district building construction contracts and adding representation for certain public education stakeholders to the periodic review committee for the state's uniform general conditions.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1297 amends the Education Code to authorize a public school district, after reviewing the uniform general conditions adopted by the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) for incorporation into state building construction contracts, to adopt uniform general conditions to be incorporated in all district building construction contracts.

S.B. 1297 amends the Government Code to include one individual representing the Texas Association of School Boards and one individual representing the Texas Association of School Administrators among the members of the committee appointed by the TFC to perform the required periodic review of the TFC uniform general conditions. The bill requires the TFC to appoint those additional members to that committee not later than December 1, 2019.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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