Bill Text: TX SB24 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to training for members of the governing board of a public institution of higher education.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-17 - Effective on 1/1/16 [SB24 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB24-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to training for members of the governing board of a public institution of higher education.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-17 - Effective on 1/1/16 [SB24 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB24-Comm_Sub.html
By: Zaffirini | S.B. No. 24 | |
(In the Senate - Filed November 10, 2014; January 26, 2015, | ||
read first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education; | ||
April 15, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, | ||
Nays 0; April 15, 2015, sent to printer.) | ||
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relating to training for members of the governing board of a public | ||
institution of higher education. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 61.084, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsections (a-1), | ||
(a-2), and (h) to read as follows: | ||
(a) The board by rule shall establish a training program for | ||
members of the governing boards of institutions of higher | ||
education. Each member of a governing board of an institution of | ||
higher education shall attend, during the member's first year [ |
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of higher education, at least one training program under this | ||
section. A member of a governing board who is required to attend a | ||
training program under this section may attend additional training | ||
programs under this section. | ||
(a-1) The board's rules must require a governing board | ||
member who holds an appointive position to attend, as part of the | ||
training program, the intensive short orientation course developed | ||
under Section 61.0841 and any available training course sponsored | ||
or coordinated by the office of the governor with a curriculum | ||
designed for training newly appointed state officers, board | ||
members, or high-level executive officials. The rules must require | ||
the member to attend those courses the first time they are offered | ||
following the date the member takes the oath of office, regardless | ||
of whether that attendance is required under other law. The rules | ||
may provide a governing board member with additional time to attend | ||
those courses if the member for good cause is unable to attend the | ||
courses the first time they are offered. Subsection (g) does not | ||
apply to the courses required by this subsection. | ||
(a-2) A member of the governing board of an institution of | ||
higher education who holds an appointive position and whose first | ||
year of service on the governing board begins on or after September | ||
1, 2015, is prohibited from voting on a budgetary or personnel | ||
matter related to system administration or institutions of higher | ||
education until the member completes the intensive short | ||
orientation course described by Subsection (a-1). | ||
(d) The content of the instruction at the training program | ||
shall focus on the official role and duties of the members of | ||
governing boards and shall provide training in the areas of | ||
budgeting, policy development, ethics, and governance. Topics | ||
covered by the training program must [ |
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(1) auditing procedures and recent audits of | ||
institutions of higher education; | ||
(2) the enabling legislation that creates | ||
institutions of higher education; | ||
(3) the role of the governing board at institutions of | ||
higher education and the relationship between the governing board | ||
and an institution's administration, faculty and staff, and | ||
students, including limitations on the authority of the governing | ||
board; | ||
(4) the mission statements of institutions of higher | ||
education; | ||
(5) disciplinary and investigative authority of the | ||
governing board; | ||
(6) the requirements of the open meetings law, Chapter | ||
551, Government Code, and the open records law, Chapter 552, | ||
Government Code; | ||
(7) the requirements of conflict of interest laws and | ||
other laws relating to public officials; | ||
(8) any applicable ethics policies adopted by | ||
institutions of higher education or the Texas Ethics Commission; | ||
(9) the requirements of laws relating to the | ||
protection of student information under the Family Educational | ||
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g) or any | ||
other federal or state law relating to the privacy of student | ||
information; and | ||
(10) [ |
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education the board considers important. | ||
(h) The board is responsible for documenting governing | ||
board members' completion of the requirements provided by this | ||
section. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 61.0841 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.0841. INTENSIVE SHORT COURSE FOR APPOINTED MEMBERS | ||
OF GOVERNING BOARDS. (a) The board shall develop an intensive | ||
short orientation course for members of the governing boards of | ||
institutions of higher education who hold appointive positions. | ||
The orientation course must be offered as an online interactive | ||
course and may also be offered in the form of a written document or | ||
in a one-on-one or group setting. | ||
(b) The instruction in the orientation course must include: | ||
(1) best practices relating to excellence, | ||
transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the governing | ||
structure and organization of general academic teaching | ||
institutions and university systems; | ||
(2) best practices relating to the manner in which | ||
governing boards and administrators of general academic teaching | ||
institutions and university systems develop and implement major | ||
policy decisions, including the need for impartiality and adequate | ||
internal review in their processes; | ||
(3) matters relating to excellence, transparency, | ||
accountability, and efficiency in the governance and | ||
administration of general academic teaching institutions and | ||
university systems; and | ||
(4) ethics, conflicts of interests, and the proper | ||
role of a board member in the governing structure of general | ||
academic teaching institutions and university systems. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
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