Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3348 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	84R8992 JRJ-D
2		-	By: Clardy, Schaefer H.B. No. 3348
	1	+	H.B. No. 3348
3	2
4	3
5		-	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	4		AN ACT
7	5		relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education
8	6		Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer
9	7		baccalaureate degree programs.
10	8		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	9		SECTION 1. Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by
12		-	amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (k) and (l)
13		-	to read as follows:
14		-	(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may
15		-	[shall] authorize public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate
16		-	degree programs in the fields of applied science, [and] applied
17		-	technology, and dental hygiene under this section. Offering a
18		-	baccalaureate degree program under this section does not otherwise
19		-	alter the role and mission of a public junior college.
20		-	(b) The coordinating board shall authorize baccalaureate
21		-	degree programs at:
22		-	(1) each public junior college that previously
23		-	participated in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate degree
24		-	programs; and
25		-	(2) one or more public junior colleges that offer a
26		-	degree program in the field of dental hygiene if, at the time the
27		-	degree is initially offered, the public junior college:
28		-	(A) has a main campus located in the county seat
29		-	of a county with a population greater than 200,000; and
30		-	(B) includes territory in at least six public
31		-	school districts located in two counties.
	10	+	adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), (b-3), (k), and (l) to read as
	11	+	follows:
	12	+	(b-1) The coordinating board shall establish a pilot
	13	+	project to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of authorizing
	14	+	baccalaureate degree programs in the field of dental hygiene at a
	15	+	public junior college that offers a degree program in that field,
	16	+	has a main campus located in the county seat of a county with a
	17	+	population greater than 200,000, and includes territory in at least
	18	+	six public school districts located in two counties. Subsection (g)
	19	+	does not apply to junior-level and senior-level courses offered
	20	+	under this subsection. In its recommendations to the legislature
	21	+	relating to state funding for public junior colleges, the
	22	+	coordinating board shall recommend that junior-level and
	23	+	senior-level courses offered under this subsection by a public
	24	+	junior college receive the same state support as other courses
	25	+	offered by the public junior college.
	26	+	(b-2) Not later than January 1, 2017, the coordinating board
	27	+	shall prepare a progress report on the pilot project established
	28	+	under Subsection (b-1). Not later than January 1, 2019, the
	29	+	coordinating board shall prepare a report on the effectiveness of
	30	+	the pilot project, including any recommendations for legislative
	31	+	action regarding the offering of baccalaureate degree programs in
	32	+	the field of dental hygiene by a public junior college. The
	33	+	coordinating board shall deliver a copy of each report to the
	34	+	governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
	35	+	representatives, and the chair of the standing committee of each
	36	+	house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher
	37	+	education. Unless the authority to continue offering a
	38	+	baccalaureate degree program in the field of dental hygiene is
	39	+	continued by the legislature, a public junior college may not:
	40	+	(1) enroll a new student in a baccalaureate degree
	41	+	program under the pilot project after the 2019 fall semester;
	42	+	(2) offer junior-level or senior-level courses for
	43	+	those degree programs after the 2021 fall semester, unless the
	44	+	coordinating board authorizes the college to offer those courses;
	45	+	or
	46	+	(3) award a baccalaureate degree under the pilot
	47	+	project after the 2021 fall semester, unless the coordinating board
	48	+	approves the awarding of the degree.
	49	+	(b-3) This subsection and Subsections (b-1) and (b-2)
	50	+	expire on the first June 15 following the first regular legislative
	51	+	session that occurs after the fourth anniversary of the date a
	52	+	public junior college offering a degree program in the field of
	53	+	dental hygiene under Subsection (b-1) meets the accreditation
	54	+	requirements of Subsection (c).
32	55		(k) The coordinating board shall adopt rules as necessary
33	56		for the administration of this section.
34	57		(l) In this section, "general academic teaching
35	58		institution" and "institution of higher education" have the
36	59		meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
37	60		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
38	61		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
39	62		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
40	63		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
41	64		Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
	65	+	______________________________ ______________________________
	66	+	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
	67	+	I certify that H.B. No. 3348 was passed by the House on May 8,
	68	+	2015, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	69	+	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	70	+	No. 3348 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 1,
	71	+	3 present, not voting.
	72	+	______________________________
	73	+	Chief Clerk of the House
	74	+	I certify that H.B. No. 3348 was passed by the Senate, with
	75	+	amendments, on May 25, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
	76	+	1.
	77	+	______________________________
	78	+	Secretary of the Senate
	79	+	APPROVED: __________________
	80	+	Date
	81	+	__________________
	82	+	Governor