HBA-RBT C.S.H.B. 1346 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1346
By: Salinas
Ways & Means
4/6/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

One of the most effective ways for counties to promote local economic
development is to make available to residents opportunities to obtain
higher education or advanced vocational training. Small rural counties have
traditionally had a difficult time attracting institutions of higher
learning, whether in the form of daytime extension facilities, actual
branch campuses, or vocational facilities. One of the biggest obstacles to
attracting an educational institution is the availability of buildings for
classroom space and administrative offices.   

C.S.H.B. 1346 makes it easier for counties to raise the necessary funds to
build or renovate buildings in order to make higher educational
opportunities available to residents of the county.  This bill allows
county commissioners courts to call, after a vote, a maintenance and
operation tax election without being petitioned by a local steering
committee to do so.  The voters then make the ultimate decision as to
whether the tax is approved.  This bill provides that if a tax is approved
by county voters, the funds generated by the tax can be used to obtain real
property and for construction or renovation of buildings which would make
available higher educational opportunities for residents subject to the
tax.   
 
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 130.087(b), Education Code, to authorize the
governing body of a county with a population of 50,000 or less, on
completion of a needs assessment analysis showing adequate need and on
approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, on its own
motion and without the presentation of a petition, to propose an election
to authorize a branch campus maintenance tax. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
            Effective date: upon passage.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute deletes references in SECTION 1 of the original bill
regarding the legislature appropriating money to provide financial
assistance to the establishment of a public junior college branch campus in
a particular county. 

The substitute deletes SECTION 2 of the original bill which added a new
Section 61.0625, regarding financial assistance fora junior college branch
campus to the Education Code.