LCO 5129 \\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00026-R02- SB.docx 1 of 2 General Assembly Committee Bill No. 26 January Session, 2019 LCO No. 5129 Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT Introduced by: (HED) AN ACT MAKING PERMAN ENT THE MORATORIUM O N THE APPROVAL OF PROGRAMS AT INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Subsection (l) of section 10a-34 of the general statutes is 1 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 2 1, 2019): 3 (l) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) to (j), 4 inclusive, of this section and subject to the authority of the State Board 5 of Education to regulate teacher education programs, up to twelve new 6 programs of higher learning in any academic year and any program 7 modifications proposed by an independent institution of higher 8 education, as defined in section 10a-173, shall not be subject to 9 approval by the Office of Higher Education, [until July 1, 2020,] 10 provided (1) the institution maintains eligibility to participate in 11 financial aid programs governed by Title IV, Part B of the Higher 12 Education Act of 1965, as amended from time to time, (2) the United 13 States Department of Education has not determined that the institution 14 Committee Bill No. 26 LCO 5129 {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00026- R02-SB.docx } 2 of 2 has a financial responsibility score that is less than 1.5 for the most 15 recent fiscal year for which the data necessary for determining the 16 score is available, and (3) the institution has been located in the state 17 and accredited as a degree-granting institution in good standing for 18 ten years or more by a regional accrediting association recognized by 19 the Secretary of the United States Department of Education and 20 maintains such accreditation status. Each institution that is exempt 21 from program approval by the Office of Higher Education under this 22 subsection shall file with the office (A) an application for approval of 23 any new program of higher learning in excess of twelve new programs 24 in any academic year, (B) a program actions form, as created by the 25 office, prior to students enrolling in any new program of higher 26 learning or any existing program subject to a program modification, 27 and (C) not later than July first, and annually thereafter, (i) a list and 28 brief description of any new programs of higher learning introduced 29 by the institution in the preceding academic year and any existing 30 programs of higher learning discontinued by the institution in the 31 preceding academic year, (ii) the institution's current program 32 approval process and all actions of the governing board concerning 33 approval of any new program of higher learning, and (iii) the 34 institution's financial responsibility composite score, as determined by 35 the United States Department of Education, for the most recent fiscal 36 year for which the data necessary for determining the score is 37 available. 38 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 July 1, 2019 10a-34(l) HED Joint Favorable