BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center C.S.H.B. 2512 81R21547 KKA-F By: Aycock (Davis, Wendy) Education 5/11/2009 Committee Report (Substituted) AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Currently, it is at the discretion of a hearing officer, usually an administrator, to determine whether an individual filing a grievance may record the grievance conference. Given the power held by an administrator in this regard, teachers may be reluctant even to ask whether they may audiotape a grievance hearing. C.S.H.B. 2512 amends current law relating to audio recordings of certain grievance proceedings or meetings by school district employees. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 11.171, Education Code, as follows: Sec. 11.171. SCHOOL DISTRICT GRIEVANCE POLICY. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text. Requires that a school district grievance policy permit a school district employee to report a grievance against a supervisor that alleges the supervisor's violation of the law in the work place or the supervisor's unlawful harassment of the employee to a supervisor other than the supervisor against whom the employee intends to report the grievance. (b) Requires that a school district grievance policy permit an employee who reports a grievance to make an audio recording of any meeting or proceeding at which the substance of a grievance that complies with the policy is investigated or discussed. Provides that the implementation of this subsection may not result in a delay of any timeline provided by the grievance policy and does not require the district to provide equipment for the employee to make the recording. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2009.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.H.B. 2512
81R21547 KKA-F By: Aycock (Davis, Wendy)
Education
5/11/2009
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, it is at the discretion of a hearing officer, usually an administrator, to determine whether an individual filing a grievance may record the grievance conference. Given the power held by an administrator in this regard, teachers may be reluctant even to ask whether they may audiotape a grievance hearing.
C.S.H.B. 2512 amends current law relating to audio recordings of certain grievance proceedings or meetings by school district employees.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 11.171, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 11.171. SCHOOL DISTRICT GRIEVANCE POLICY. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text. Requires that a school district grievance policy permit a school district employee to report a grievance against a supervisor that alleges the supervisor's violation of the law in the work place or the supervisor's unlawful harassment of the employee to a supervisor other than the supervisor against whom the employee intends to report the grievance.
(b) Requires that a school district grievance policy permit an employee who reports a grievance to make an audio recording of any meeting or proceeding at which the substance of a grievance that complies with the policy is investigated or discussed. Provides that the implementation of this subsection may not result in a delay of any timeline provided by the grievance policy and does not require the district to provide equipment for the employee to make the recording.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2009.