HBA-DMH S.B. 1260 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1260 By: Shapleigh Higher Education 5/5/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) has the authority to conduct a performance review of a school district for the purpose of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the district. Senate Bill 1260 expands the comptroller's authority relating to school performance reviews to include general academic teaching institutions. 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 Senate Bill 1260 amends the Government Code to authorize the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) to periodically review the effectiveness and efficiency of the budgets and operations of general academic teaching institutions. The bill authorizes a review of a general academic teaching institution to be initiated by the comptroller, by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, or by the request of the institution only if the request is initiated by the president of the institution or by a resolution adopted by a majority of the governing board of the institution. The bill requires a general academic teaching institution that initiates a review to pay 25 percent of the cost incurred in conducting the review. The bill provides that a review of a general academic teaching institution must include review of the institution's fiscal operations, management, student services, and curriculum. The bill establishes reporting requirements for the comptroller equivalent to existing provisions established for the reporting of school district performance reviews. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.