HBA-AMW H.B. 2397 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2397
By: Chavez
Higher Education
7/19/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

There is concern regarding salary inequities between part-time and
full-time faculty members at public institutions of higher education in
Texas.  In 1988, the commissioner of the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board (THECB) appointed a committee to study the use of
part-time faculty in public institutions of higher education.  One of the
committee's charges was to determine if part-time faculty received
equitable salary and benefits.  The committee concluded that additional
appropriations are needed to address inequities in the compensation of
part-time faculty.  House Bill 2397 requires THECB to conduct a study and
to produce a report on the disparity between the salary and benefits
received by parttime and full-time faculty members at public institutions
of higher education. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board in SECTION 2 of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2397 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to conduct a study and make findings
and recommendations THECB considers appropriate regarding any disparity
between the salary and benefits received by part-time faculty members and
the salary and benefits received by full-time faculty members at
institutions of higher education.  The bill requires THECB to submit to the
governor and to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature a
written report summarizing the study, findings, and recommendations of
THECB not later than September 1, 2002, and requires the information in the
report to be reported without identifying specific individuals. 

The bill requires THECB to adopt rules to implement the bill not later than
the 90th day after the effective date of the bill.  The bill expires
December 1, 2002. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.