HBA-BSM S.B. 924 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 924 By: Barrientos Higher Education 4/22/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 76th Legislature passed legislation requiring the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to develop and annually update a uniform strategy to identify, attract, enroll, and retain students that reflect the population of this state. In doing so, the legislature recognized the need to address the existing disparity between the racial composition of the state's general population and that of the undergraduate student bodies at the state's institutions of higher education. Aiding institutions of higher education in creating and maintaining diverse faculties and staff may help address this need. Senate Bill 924 requires the board to develop and annually update a uniform strategy to enable institutions of higher education to identify, attract, hire, and retain faculty and staff that reflect the population of this state. 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 924 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to not later than January 1, 2002 develop and annually update a uniform strategy to enable institutions of higher education to identify, attract, hire, and retain faculty and staff who reflect the population of Texas. The bill requires each institution of higher education to implement the uniform strategy and report annually to the board the manner in which the institution has implemented the uniform strategy. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.