89R23010 RDR-D
By: Oliverson, Allen, Buckley, Ashby, et al. H.B. No. 2243
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2243:
By: Buckley C.S.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) five members 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 members appointed by the governor must include at
least three people who are current or former classroom teachers
with at least 10 years of teaching experience.
(d) 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.
(e) 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 a member of the commission to serve as 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.
(b) If the agency employs a staff member whose sole duty is
to provide administrative support for the commission under this
section, the agency shall consult with the presiding officer or the
presiding officer's designee in the hiring or selection of the
staff member.
(c) Funding for the administrative, staffing, legal, and
operational expenses of the commission shall be provided by
appropriation to the agency for that purpose.
Sec. 21.757. PROCUREMENT. (a) The agency may procure goods
and services to support the commission's work, including research
and consulting services.
(b) The competitive bidding contract procedures established
by Chapters 2155, 2156, 2157, and 2158, Government Code, and the
requirements of Chapter 2254, Government Code, do not apply to a
contract awarded by the agency to implement this subchapter.
(c) For the purposes of procurement under Subsection (a),
the agency shall enter into a contract only if the contract is
approved by a majority vote of the commission's members.
Sec. 21.758. RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The commission shall
develop recommendations under this subchapter to 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 law relating to
student 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. 21.759. 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. 21.760. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a)
The commission may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill its
duties under this subchapter.
(b) Commission meetings are not subject to Chapter 551,
Government Code.
(c) The commission is a governmental body for the purposes
of Chapter 552, Government Code.
Sec. 21.761. 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.