BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1789

By: Buckley

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Federal regulations and state laws have hindered the ability of school districts to hire school bus drivers, contributing to a growing shortage of drivers. Specifically, state law prohibits nepotism in the appointment of individuals to positions that are paid out of public funds but provides exemptions for the appointment or employment of a bus driver by a school district that is located in a county or part of a county with a small population. H.B. 1789 seeks to alleviate the bus driver shortage by exempting from nepotism prohibitions the appointment or employment of a bus driver by a district whose board of trustees approves the appointment or employment.

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

H.B. 1789 amends the Government Code to exempt from the application of nepotism prohibitions relating to certain publicly funded positions a public school district's appointment or employment of a bus driver that is approved by the district's board of trustees. The bill's provisions apply only to the appointment or employment of a person by a district on or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.