HBA-JEK S.B. 1705 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1705 By: Van de Putte Public Education 5/6/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law authorizes the board of trustees of an independent school district to order that all, or not fewer than 70 percent of the trustees be elected from single-member trustee districts. The law requires all positions on the board to be filled at the first election at which some or all of the trustees are elected from trustee districts and after each redistricting. After being elected, the trustees are required to draw lots for staggered terms as provided by statute. Only those districts that provide for five members of the board to be elected from single member districts and for two members to be elected at large are allowed to provide for the trustees in office to serve the remainder of their terms. Senate Bill 1705 authorizes the board of trustee members of all independent school districts that adopt a single-member district plan to provide for members to serve the remainder of their terms, and provides for a public hearing on the issue in certain districts. 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 1705 amends the Education Code to authorize members of the board of trustees of an independent school district that adopts a single-member redistricting plan to provide for the trustees in office to serve the remainder of their terms. The bill requires the board of trustees of a school district with 50,000 or more students in average daily attendance to hold a public hearing, on request of a resident, on the issue of staggered or simultaneous election of trustees from single-member districts after redistricting before providing for members to serve the remainder of their terms. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.