HBA-TBM C.S.H.B. 992 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 992
By: Hochberg
Public Education
3/12/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law states that any textbook publisher or manufacturer furnishing
books to Texas schools must have a book depository within the state, a
requirement meant to ensure a ready supply of textbooks for the state. In
some cases the distance between the publisher and the depository is greater
than that between the publisher and many districts.  Since close proximity
to textbooks is the basis of the depository requirement, exempting
publishers who deliver books to Texas schools free of delivery charges can
achieve the same result.  House Bill 992 authorizes a publisher or
manufacturer of textbooks who delivers textbooks free of delivery charges
to sell textbooks without a book depository within the state.   

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 992 amends the Education Code to require a publisher or
manufacturer of textbooks to maintain a depository in this state or deliver
textbooks without a delivery charge to the receiving school.  
EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 992 differs from the original by exempting textbook publishers and
manufacturers from the requirement to maintain a depository in this state
if they ship books for free rather than if they maintain a home office not
more than 300 miles from the Texas border.