By: Oliverson H.B. No. 2243
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Texas Commission on Teacher Job
Satisfaction and Retention.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter P to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER P. TEXAS COMMISSION ON TEACHER JOB SATISFACTION AND
RETENTION
Sec. 21.751. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "commission"
means the Texas Commission on Teacher Job Satisfaction and
Retention.
Sec. 21.752. TEXAS COMMISSION ON TEACHER JOB SATISFACTION
AND RETENTION. (a) The Texas Commission on Teacher Job
Satisfaction and Retention is established to develop and make
recommendations for improving teacher job satisfaction and
retention.
(b) The commission is composed of 13 members, consisting of
the following:
(1) one member appointed by the governor;
(2) four members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
and
(3) four members appointed by the speaker of the house
of representatives.
(c) The appointments made by the lieutenant governor and the
speaker of the house of representatives must each consist of:
(1) three members of the applicable legislative
chamber; and
(2) an administrator in the public school system or an
elected member of the board of trustees of a school district.
(d) In making appointments under Subsections (b)(1), (2),
and (3), the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
house of representatives shall coordinate to ensure that the
membership of the commission reflects, to the extent possible, the
ethnic and geographic diversity of this state.
Sec. 21.753. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall
designate the presiding officer of the commission.
Sec. 21.754. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of
the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the
commission but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties.
Sec. 21.755. COMMISSION PERSONNEL. The commission may hire
employees and hire or contract with legal counsel as necessary to
carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
Sec. 21.756. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING. (a)
Staff members of the agency shall provide administrative support
for the commission. If the agency employs a staff member whose sole
duty is for support of the commission, selection of the staff member
shall be done in conjunction with the presiding officer or the
presiding officer's designee.
(b) Funding for the administrative, staffing, legal, and
operational expenses of the commission shall be provided by
appropriation to the agency for that purpose.
(c) The agency may procure goods and services to support the
commission's work, including without limitation research and
consulting services, and is delegated all authority and purchasing
functions relating to the purchase of those goods or services
without complying with standard procurement law, rules,
regulations and procedures. If a contract is funded through the
appropriations described in this subchapter, and the agency has
selected the contractor in accordance with Section 29.035(d), then
purchasing requirements including without limitation those set
forth in Section 2254, Section 2155.061, Section 2155.063, and
Section 2155.0755, Government Code, do not apply to the procurement
function under this subchapter. The commission's members shall
vote on the selected contractor and final contract, and if approved
by majority vote, then the commissioner shall execute the contract
on behalf of the commission.
Sec. 21.757. RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The commission shall
develop recommendations under this subchapter that improve student
outcomes by addressing issues related to teacher job satisfaction
and retention, including:
(1) methods to reduce the paperwork and other
administrative burdens placed on teachers, including by evaluating
the effectiveness of Section 7.060 and other laws in reducing
paperwork for teachers;
(2) the impact of requirements in this code and
commissioner rules on administrative staffing levels in public
schools;
(3) methods to lessen administrative burdens in public
schools to focus more resources on supporting teachers;
(4) the impact of state and federal education law
regarding discipline on teacher job satisfaction and
effectiveness; and
(5) the impact of compliance with federal education
law on teacher job satisfaction and retention, including the impact
on teachers, public school students, and public primary and
secondary education programs in this state if this state were to
decline federal education funding.
(b) The commission may establish one or more working groups
composed of not more than five members of the commission to study,
discuss, and address specific policy issues and recommendations to
refer to the commission for consideration.
Sec. 21.758. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2026, the
commission shall prepare and deliver a report to the governor and
the legislature that recommends statutory changes to improve
teacher job satisfaction and retention.
Sec. 21.759. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a)
The commission may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill its
duties under this subchapter.
(b) The commission may hold public meetings as needed to
fulfill its duties under this subchapter.
(c) As an advisory body, the commission is not subject to
Chapter 551, Government Code.
(d) The commission is subject to Chapter 552, Government
Code.
Sec. 21.760. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION. The
commission is abolished and this subchapter expires September 1,
2027.
SECTION 2. Not later than the 30th day after the effective
date of this Act, the appropriate persons shall make the
appointments required by Section 21.752, Education Code, as added
by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.