81R35855 KSD-F
By: Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 1394
Substitute the following for S.B. No. 1394:
By: Branch C.S.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) Each applicant for admission to a general academic teaching
institution who designates on the applicant's online common
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 a timely and
complete 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.
(d) The provision and receipt of information under this
section does not guarantee the availability of a degree program or
admission to a degree program and does not constitute a waiver of
any applicable admissions application deadline.
(e) The board, in consultation with the appropriate
advisory committees for common application forms, shall adopt rules
as necessary for the administration of this section.
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.