By: Zaffirini, West S.B. No. 1394
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to notification of an applicant for admission to a general
academic teaching institution regarding the availability of degree
programs in the applicant's preferred major field of study offered
by other institutions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.7635 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.7635. NOTIFICATION REGARDING DEGREE PROGRAMS
OFFERED BY OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN APPLICANT'S PREFERRED MAJOR FIELD.
(a) The board by rule shall require that each applicant for
admission to a general academic teaching institution who designates
on the applicant's ApplyTexas online admission application form or
other electronic application form applicable to all general
academic teaching institutions one or more choices or preferences
for the applicant's major field of study must promptly be
redirected by the application website to a notification regarding
the availability of degree programs in that field of study offered
by general academic teaching institutions.
(b) The notification required by Subsection (a) must
include a list of those general academic teaching institutions
offering comparable degree programs in the applicant's designated
field of study, and must provide the following information, or
electronic links to the following information, for each
institution:
(1) the institution's location and distance from the
applicant's home zip code;
(2) a description of the programs offered by the
institution in the applicant's designated major field of study;
(3) graduation and retention rate information for the
institution; and
(4) any other information the board considers
appropriate to assist the applicant in selecting among
institutions.
(c) In addition to providing the notification required by
Subsection (a), if a general academic teaching institution denies
admission to any applicant who designated one or more choices or
preferences for the applicant's major field of study on the
applicant's admission application form described by Subsection
(a), the institution shall include in its notice of denial a link to
detailed information available on the application website
regarding the availability of degree programs in that field of
study offered by other general academic teaching institutions.
SECTION 2. Section 51.7635, Education Code, as added by
this Act, applies beginning with applicants for admission to a
general academic teaching institution for the 2011-2012 academic
year.
SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall adopt the rules required by Section 51.7635, Education Code,
as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes
effect. For that purpose, the coordinating board may adopt the
initial rules in the manner provided by law for emergency rules.
SECTION 4. This Act does not make an appropriation. A
provision in this Act that creates a new governmental program,
creates a new entitlement, or imposes a new duty on a governmental
entity is not mandatory during a fiscal period for which the
legislature has not made a specific appropriation to implement the
provision.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.