Senate Bill No. 26
Public Act No. 19-26
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
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July
1, 2019):
(l) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) to (j),
inclusive, of this section and subject to the authority of the State Board
of Education to regulate teacher education programs, up to twelve new
programs of higher learning in any academic year and any program
modifications proposed by an independent institution of higher
education, as defined in section 10a-173, shall not be subject to
approval by the Office of Higher Education, [until July 1, 2020,]
provided (1) the institution maintains eligibility to participate in
financial aid programs governed by Title IV, Part B of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended from time to time, (2) the United
States Department of Education has not determined that the institution
has a financial responsibility score that is less than 1.5 for the most
recent fiscal year for which the data necessary for determining the
score is available, and (3) the institution has been located in the state Senate Bill No. 26
Public Act No. 19-26 2 of 2
and accredited as a degree-granting institution in good standing for
ten years or more by a regional accrediting association recognized by
the Secretary of the United States Department of Education and
maintains such accreditation status. Each institution that is exempt
from program approval by the Office of Higher Education under this
subsection shall file with the office (A) an application for approval of
any new program of higher learning in excess of twelve new programs
in any academic year, (B) a program actions form, as created by the
office, prior to students enrolling in any new program of higher
learning or any existing program subject to a program modification,
and (C) not later than July first, and annually thereafter, (i) a list and
brief description of any new programs of higher learning introduced
by the institution in the preceding academic year and any existing
programs of higher learning discontinued by the institution in the
preceding academic year, (ii) the institution's current program
approval process and all actions of the governing board concerning
approval of any new program of higher learning, and (iii) the
institution's financial responsibility composite score, as determined by
the United States Department of Education, for the most recent fiscal
year for which the data necessary for determining the score is
available.