BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4763

By: Olcott

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, the state auditor's office maintains a hotline for the reporting of fraud, waste, and abuse. The bill author has informed the committee that, although many universities in Texas operate their own independent system for receiving reports of fraud, waste, and abuse, universities are not required to share those reports with the state auditor's office, resulting in a lack of easy access to these reports by the legislature. H.B. 4763 seeks to address this issue by requiring an applicable public institution of higher education to submit reports of suspected fraud, waste, and abuse to the state auditor's office within two business days of receiving the report.

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. 4763 amends the Education Code to require a public institution of higher education that maintains a system for reporting suspected fraud, waste, and abuse involving state resources at the institution to submit each report received under the system to the state auditor's office not later than the second business day after the date the institution receives the report. The bill defines "institution of higher education" by reference.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.