HBA-LJP S.B. 263 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 263
By: Ogden
Higher Education
4/1/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, many institutions of higher education (institution) lack
policies regarding the higher education related travel of students of the
institution and there are no statewide laws regulating such  travel.  To
help prevent tragedies such as the car crash last year that killed four
Prairie View A&M University students who were traveling to a track meet,
institutions may need to develop policies regulating higher education
related student travel.  Senate Bill 263 requires the governing board of
each  institution to adopt a policy regulating certain higher education
related travel that is undertaken by one or more students currently
enrolled in the institution. 

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 263 amends the Education Code to require each governing board
of an institution of higher education (board) to adopt a policy, no later
than January 1, 2002, regulating travel that is undertaken by one or more
students presently enrolled at the institution to reach an activity or
event that is located more than 25 miles from the institution that is
organized and sponsored by the institution and is: 

_funded by the institution, and the travel is undertaken using a vehicle
owned or leased by the institution; or 

_required by a student organization registered at the institution.

The bill requires the board to seek advice and comment from the faculty and
students of the institution before adopting any policy and sets forth
provisions relating to the required contents of the policy.  The bill
requires the board to make the policy available to the public by publishing
the policy in the catalog of the institution and by any other method the
board considers appropriate.  The bill requires the board to file, no later
than August 1, 2002, a copy of the policy and any amendments to that policy
with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the semester
or summer session that begins on or after August 1, 2002.