Use of state funds. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board may use state funds to provide training and education for its employees in accordance with provisions of the Texas Government Code, §§656.044 - 656.049.

(1) Training to be duty related. The training or education shall be related to the duties or prospective duties of the employee.

(2) Attendance may be required. A State Board employee may be required to attend, as part of the employee's duties, a training or education program related to the employee's duties or prospective duties.

(3) Training program outline. The training and educational program of the State Board may include the following elements: (A) preparing for technological and legal development; (B) increasing work capabilities; and (C) increasing the competence of State Board employees.

(4) Purposes for which public funds may be used. The State Board may spend public funds as appropriate to pay the salary, tuition and other fees, mileage and per diem, training, expenses of training materials, and other necessary expenses of an instructor, or an employee in a training or education program.

(5) Interagency coordination. The State Board may contract with another state, local or federal department, agency, or institution, including a state-supported college or university, to train or educate its employees or may join in presenting a training or educational program.

(6) Approval subject to available funds and workload. Approval to participate in a training program is not automatic and may be subject to the availability of funds within the State Board's budget or the current or anticipated workload of the employee requesting a specific time period for a training program.

(7) Components of program. The employee-training program for the board consists of training, seminars and conferences, as set out and described in paragraph (8) and (9) of this section.

(8) State Board-sponsored training. The State Board may pay for in-house training for State Board employees, as provided.

(9) Seminars and conferences. The State Board may also pay for training seminars or conferences unavailable in-house and related to a current or prospective duty assignment. Requests to attend an external training program, seminar or conference must be approved by the employee's direct program director. Training, seminars or conferences which are required to maintain a professional license will be considered a priority in allocating a program's training budget if the license is a requirement of the employee's job. Attendance at an approved training program, seminar or conference will be considered part of the employee's normal work duties. An employee will not be required to use accrued leave to attend an approved training program, seminar or conference.

Source Note: The provisions of this §518.1 adopted to be effective May 8, 2000, 25 TexReg 4187