By: Clardy, Schaefer (Senate Sponsor - Eltife) H.B. No. 3348
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2015;
May 11, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
Education; May 21, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0;
May 21, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3348 By: Menéndez
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer
baccalaureate degree programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), (b-3), (k), and (l) to read as
follows:
(b-1) The coordinating board shall establish a pilot
project to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of authorizing
baccalaureate degree programs in the field of dental hygiene at a
public junior college that offers a degree program in that field,
has a main campus located in the county seat of a county with a
population greater than 200,000, and includes territory in at least
six public school districts located in two counties. Subsection (g)
does not apply to junior-level and senior-level courses offered
under this subsection. In its recommendations to the legislature
relating to state funding for public junior colleges, the
coordinating board shall recommend that junior-level and
senior-level courses offered under this subsection by a public
junior college receive the same state support as other courses
offered by the public junior college.
(b-2) Not later than January 1, 2017, the coordinating board
shall prepare a progress report on the pilot project established
under Subsection (b-1). Not later than January 1, 2019, the
coordinating board shall prepare a report on the effectiveness of
the pilot project, including any recommendations for legislative
action regarding the offering of baccalaureate degree programs in
the field of dental hygiene by a public junior college. The
coordinating board shall deliver a copy of each report to the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and the chair of the standing committee of each
house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher
education. Unless the authority to continue offering a
baccalaureate degree program in the field of dental hygiene is
continued by the legislature, a public junior college may not:
(1) enroll a new student in a baccalaureate degree
program under the pilot project after the 2019 fall semester;
(2) offer junior-level or senior-level courses for
those degree programs after the 2021 fall semester, unless the
coordinating board authorizes the college to offer those courses;
or
(3) award a baccalaureate degree under the pilot
project after the 2021 fall semester, unless the coordinating board
approves the awarding of the degree.
(b-3) This subsection and Subsections (b-1) and (b-2)
expire on the first June 15 following the first regular legislative
session that occurs after the fourth anniversary of the date a
public junior college offering a degree program in the field of
dental hygiene under Subsection (b-1) meets the accreditation
requirements of Subsection (c).
(k) The coordinating board shall adopt rules as necessary
for the administration of this section.
(l) In this section, "general academic teaching
institution" and "institution of higher education" have the
meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
SECTION 2. 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, 2015.
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