HBA-EDN S.B. 77 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 77
By: Haywood
Higher Education
4/1/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, many institutions of higher education have within their
operating code provisions relating to the grounds for removal of a board
member.  Texas Woman's University (TWU) does not have such guidelines
included in its operating statute.  Senate Bill 77 updates TWU's operating
code to provide guidelines for removal of a member from its board of
regents. 

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 77 amends the Education Code to provide that it is a ground for
removal from the Texas Woman's University board of regents (board) that a
member commits malfeasance of office, cannot, because of illness or
disability, discharge the member's duties for a substantial part of the
member's term, or is absent more than half of the regularly scheduled board
meetings that the member is eligible to attend during a calendar year,
unless the absence is excused by majority vote of the board. 

S.B. 77 also provides that the validity of an action of the board is not
affected by the fact that it was taken when a ground for removal of a board
member existed. 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage.