Amends TCA Title 49.

STANDING COMMITTEE FACULTY MEMBER APPOINTMENTS Present law requires the board of trustees of the University of Tennessee to appoint committees to oversee various aspects of academic and student affairs. The standing committee with responsibility for oversight of academic affairs and student success must include one voting full-time faculty member of a University of Tennessee institution, with the faculty member selected and appointed in a manner determined by the board of trustees no later than May 31 of each year. This bill changes this date from May 31 to January 31 of each year. Additionally, such member must be confirmed by joint resolution of the senate and the house of representatives prior to beginning the faculty member's term. This bill further requires that such faculty member's appointment be confirmed during the next regular session of the general assembly following the faculty member's selection by the board of trustees, and, if either house fails to confirm the appointment of the faculty member within 90 calendar days after the general assembly next convenes in regular session following the appointment, then the appointment terminates on the day following the ninetieth calendar day. Further, this bill provides that if the general assembly is not in session when such a faculty member is appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from the expiration of a term, then the faculty member whose term has expired may serve until a new appointee is confirmed in accordance with this bill. However, if the appointment does not result from the expiration of a term, then the new appointee may serve for the term appointed unless the appointment is not confirmed during the next regular session of the general assembly following the appointment in accordance with this bill. ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENTS Present law requires one member of an advisory board to be a full-time faculty member of the respective University of Tennessee institution, selected and appointed in a manner determined by the faculty senate or equivalent body of that respective institution no later than May 31 of the year of appointment. This bill changes the date from May 31 to January 31. Present law requires that the five advisory board members appointed by the governor be confirmed by the senate and the house of representatives prior to beginning a term in office, and all appointments of the board members by the governor must be confirmed by joint resolution prior to the commencement of the term of office to which the member is appointed. Further, present law provides that if either house fails to confirm the appointment of a board member by the governor within 90 calendar days after the general assembly next convenes in regular session following such appointment, then the appointment terminates on the day following the ninetieth calendar day. Moreover, under present law, if the general assembly is not in session when the initial appointments by the governor are made, all such initial appointees must serve the terms prescribed by law, unless the appointments are not confirmed during the next regular session of the general assembly following the appointments. If the general assembly is not in session at the time a member is appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy resulting from the expiration of a term, then the member whose term has expired will serve until a new appointee is confirmed, in accordance with the present law. If the general assembly is not in session at the time a member is appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy not resulting from the expiration of a term, then present law provides that the new appointee will serve for the term appointed, unless the appointment is not confirmed during the next regular session of the general assembly following the appointment in accordance with the present law. This bill replaces the present law, instead, providing that, unless otherwise stated in this bill, the faculty member appointed pursuant to this bill must also be confirmed by joint resolution of the senate and house of representatives prior to beginning a term of office. Further, under this bill, if either house fails to confirm the appointment of a faculty member appointee within 90 calendar days after the general assembly next convenes in regular session following the appointment, then the appointment terminates on the day following the 90th calendar day. Additionally, this bill provides that if the general assembly is not in session at the time a member is appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from the expiration of a term, then the member whose term has expired may serve until a new appointee is confirmed. However, if the appointment does not result from the expiration of a term, then this bill provides that the new appointee may serve for the term appointed unless the appointment is not confirmed during the next regular session of the general assembly following the appointment. BOARD OF REGENTS APPOINTMENTS Under present law, appointed members of the board of regents are subject to confirmation by the senate, and appointments are effective until adversely acted upon by the senate. This bill, instead, provides that appointed members, including the voting and nonvoting faculty members appointed by the governor, must be confirmed by the senate prior to beginning a term of office. Further, under this bill, if the senate fails to confirm the appointment of a member, including a voting or nonvoting faculty member appointed by the governor, within 90 calendar days after the general assembly next convenes in regular session following the appointment, then the appointment terminates on the day following the ninetieth calendar day. Present law further provides that if a vacancy occurs on the board, except by reason of expiration of a term, it must be filled for the remainder of the term. This bill provides that if a vacancy occurs, then the appointing authority must appoint a person who meets the necessary qualifications to fill the vacant position, and that all members appointed to fill a vacancy must be confirmed by the senate prior to beginning a term of office. This bill further requires that if the general assembly is not in session at the time a member is appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from the expiration of a term, then the member whose term has expired may serve until a new appointee is confirmed. However, under this bill, if the general assembly is not in session at the time a member is appointed to fill a vacancy not resulting from the expiration of a term, then the new appointee may serve for the term appointed unless the appointment is not confirmed during the next regular session of the general assembly following the appointment. Present law further provides that the eight members of a state university board appointed by the governor must be subject to confirmation by the senate and the house of representatives, that appointments are effective until adversely acted upon by joint resolution of the senate and the house of representatives, and that one voting board member must be a faculty member of the institution selected in a manner determined by the faculty senate of the respective institution. This bill, instead, requires that the eight members of a state university board appointed by the governor, and the voting faculty member selected in a manner determined by the faculty senate of the respective institution, be confirmed by joint resolution of the senate and house of representatives prior to beginning a term of office. This bill provides that if either house fails to confirm the appointment of a member, including the faculty member selected by an institution's faculty senate, within 90 calendar days after the general assembly next convenes in regular session following the appointment, then the appointment terminates on the day following the ninetieth calendar day. Under present law, if a vacancy on the board occurs by death or resignation, the vacancy must be filled for the remainder of the term. However, if a vacancy occurs by reason of expiration of term, the board member whose term is expiring must serve until a successor is appointed. This bill, instead, requires that if a vacancy occurs, then the appointing authority must appoint a person who meets the necessary qualifications to fill the vacant position, and that all members appointed to fill a vacancy must be confirmed by joint resolution of the senate and house of representatives prior to beginning a term of office. Moreover, this bill provides that if the general assembly is not in session at the time a member is appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from the expiration of a term, then the member whose term has expired may serve until a new appointee is confirmed. However, if the general assembly is not in session at the time a member is appointed to fill a vacancy not resulting from the expiration of a term, then the new appointee may serve for the term appointed unless the appointment is not confirmed during the next regular session of the general assembly following the appointment.