Bill Text: TX HB3337 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to training and education for state agency administrators and employees.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-06-09 - Effective on 9/1/15 [HB3337 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB3337-Enrolled.html

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H.B. No. 3337

AN ACT
relating to training and education for state agency administrators
and employees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 656.043, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 656.043. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "state
agency" means a department, agency, or institution of the
executive, legislative, or judicial branch of [this] state
government, including an institution of higher education as defined
by Section 61.003, Education Code.
SECTION 2. Section 656.047, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 656.047. PAYMENT OF PROGRAM EXPENSES. (a) Except as
provided by this section or other law, a [A] state agency may spend
public funds as appropriate to pay the salary, tuition and other
fees, travel and living expenses, training stipend, expense of
training materials, and other necessary expenses of an instructor,
student, or other participant in a training or education program.
(b) For an administrator or employee of a state agency who
seeks reimbursement for a training or education program offered by
an institution of higher education or private or independent
institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
Education Code, the agency may only pay the tuition expenses for a
program course successfully completed by the administrator or
employee at an accredited institution of higher education.
SECTION 3. Section 656.048, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b) to read as follows:
(b) A state agency shall adopt rules requiring that before
an administrator or employee of the agency may be reimbursed under
Section 656.047(b), the executive head of the agency must
authorize the tuition reimbursement payment.
SECTION 4. Section 656.101, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as
follows:
(1) "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section
656.043.
(1-a) "State [and "state] employee" has the meaning
[have the meanings] assigned by Section 572.002 [except that the
terms do not include a river authority or an employee of a river
authority].
SECTION 5. Section 656.102, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 656.102. AGENCY POLICY. (a) Before a state agency
spends any money on training for a state employee, the state agency
must adopt a policy governing the training of employees, in
addition to the rules required by Section 656.048, that requires
training to relate to an employee's duties following the training.
(b) The policy must:
(1) provide clear and objective guidelines to govern
tuition reimbursement for an administrator or employee of a state
agency who is enrolled in training for which the administrator or
employee seeks reimbursement from this state; and
(2) address tuition reimbursement for nontraditional
training, including online courses or courses not credited towards
a degree.
(c) The state agency shall post the policy adopted under
this section on the employment section of the agency's Internet
website.
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
training and education expenses paid by a state agency on or after
the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3337 was passed by the House on May 5,
2015, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3337 was passed by the Senate on May
20, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor