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Committee advances bill expanding legislative appointments to state university boards
Summary
House Bill 919 would add members to the Tennessee Board of Regents and university boards and grant additional appointment slots to House and Senate leaders; committee approved the measure to move forward.
The House Education Committee voted to advance House Bill 919, which would increase the number of members on several public higher-education governing boards and add appointment authority for legislative leaders.
Sponsor remarks explained the bill would add two seats to the Tennessee Board of Regents (increasing it from 19 to 21) and increase the membership on the State University Board of Trustees and the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees. Each new seat would be filled by appointments from the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor; additional appointments would also be made from the next members cycling off those boards.
Committee members asked whether the change was intended to give the legislature more influence over board composition. The sponsor said the intent was to provide the General Assembly "some say" on boards without creating legislative majorities. The sponsor described the change as part of a multi-year pattern of adding legislative representation to board appointments.
A clerk-reported vote recorded 15 ayes, 1 nay and 3 present not voting; the bill was advanced to Government Operations.
