HBA-MPM S.B. 1543 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1543
By: Nelson
Public Education
4/30/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires a four-year internal sunset cycle for all state agency
rules.  In the past, the public education curriculum (essential elements)
rules were exempted from this review.  However, the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curricula which replaced the essential elements
are subject to the four-year review cycle.  The TEKS curricula, developed
over a three-year period, are designed to serve a generation of students
over a 12 to 13 year period.  A four-year sunset review might interrupt the
development and implementation of curriculum, textbooks, and testing which
must be aligned with TEKS. Senate Bill 1543 exempts the TEKS curricula and
related provisions from the requirement that agency rules undergo internal
sunset review every four years. 

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 1543 amends the Education Code to provide that the requirement
that a state agency review and consider for readoption each of its rules
not later than the fourth anniversary of the date on which the rule takes
effect and every four years after that date does not apply to a rule
adopted by the State Board of Education that identifies the essential
knowledge and skills of each subject of the foundation and enrichment
curriculums. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.