Bill

HB 637

86(R) - 2019
House Public Education
Senate Education
House Public Education
Senate Education

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Mary Gonzalez
Gary VanDeaver

Sponsor(s)

Kirk Watson

Bill Caption

Relating to the salaries of the superintendent of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the superintendent of the Texas School for the Deaf.


Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.


Bill Analysis

HB 637 would remove statutory restrictions on how much the school boards for the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Texas School for the Deaf can pay their respective superintendents. Under the Education Code, current law states that the superintendent for either school cannot be paid more than 120 percent more than the annual salary of the highest paid instructional administrator at the school. 

Abolishing the salary cap under the Education Code will not leave these positions uncapped. They are, and will continue to be, capped under Article IX of the General Appropriations Act. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

Choosing the mechanism to cap the salary for these positions is a policy decision for the legislature that does not affect our principles. So long as abolishing the statutory cap in the Education Code does not also result in the abolition of the Article IX cap, we remain neutral on HB 637.

Organizations Supporting

 National Association of Social Workers/Texas