Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2637 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R9932 JRJ-D
2	2	By: Faircloth H.B. No. 2637
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education
8	8	Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer
9	9	baccalaureate degree programs.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by
12	12	amending Subsections (a), (b), and (e) and adding Subsections
13	13	(b-4), (b-5), (b-6), and (g-1) to read as follows:
14	14	(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may
15	15	[shall] authorize public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate
16	16	degree programs in the fields of applied science, [and] applied
17	17	technology, and nursing under this section. Offering a
18	18	baccalaureate degree program under this section does not otherwise
19	19	alter the role and mission of a public junior college.
20	20	(b) The coordinating board:
21	21	(1) shall authorize baccalaureate degree programs at
22	22	each public junior college that previously participated in a pilot
23	23	project to offer baccalaureate degree programs; and
24	24	(2) may authorize baccalaureate degree programs at one
25	25	or more public junior colleges that offer a degree program in the
26	26	field of nursing and have demonstrated a workforce need.
27	27	(b-4) The coordinating board shall establish a pilot
28	28	project to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of authorizing
29	29	not more than two baccalaureate degree programs, one in the field of
30	30	applied science or applied technology, and one in the field of
31	31	nursing at a public junior college with a main campus located on a
32	32	barrier island and at a public junior college with not more than
33	33	three main campuses located in a county with a population greater
34	34	than 3.3 million.
35	35	(b-5) Not later than January 1, 2019, the coordinating board
36	36	shall prepare a progress report on the pilot project established
37	37	under Subsection (b-4). Not later than January 1, 2021, the
38	38	coordinating board shall prepare a report on the effectiveness of
39	39	the pilot project, including any recommendations for legislative
40	40	action regarding the offering of baccalaureate degree programs in
41	41	the fields of applied science, applied technology, and nursing by a
42	42	public junior college. The coordinating board shall deliver a copy
43	43	of each report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
44	44	speaker of the house of representatives, and the chair of the
45	45	standing committee of each house of the legislature with primary
46	46	jurisdiction over higher education. Unless the authority to
47	47	continue offering a baccalaureate degree program in the fields of
48	48	applied science, applied technology, and nursing is continued by
49	49	the legislature, a public junior college may not:
50	50	(1) enroll a new student in a baccalaureate degree
51	51	program under the pilot project after the 2022 fall semester;
52	52	(2) offer junior-level or senior-level courses for
53	53	those degree programs after the 2025 fall semester, unless the
54	54	coordinating board authorizes the college to offer those courses;
55	55	or
56	56	(3) award a baccalaureate degree under the pilot
57	57	project after the 2025 fall semester, unless the coordinating board
58	58	approves the awarding of the degree.
59	59	(b-6) This subsection and Subsections (b-4) and (b-5)
60	60	expire on the first December 31 following the first regular
61	61	legislative session that occurs after the sixth anniversary of the
62	62	date a public junior college offering a degree program in the fields
63	63	of applied science, applied technology, and nursing under
64	64	Subsection (b-4) meets the accreditation requirements of
65	65	Subsection (c).
66	66	(e) In determining what baccalaureate degree programs are
67	67	to be offered, the coordinating board shall consider the following
68	68	factors:
69	69	(1) the workforce need for the degree programs in the
70	70	region served by the junior college;
71	71	(2) how those degree programs would complement the
72	72	other programs and course offerings of the junior college and
73	73	whether the associate degree program offered by the junior college
74	74	in the same field has been successful;
75	75	(3) whether those degree programs would unnecessarily
76	76	duplicate the degree programs offered by other institutions of
77	77	higher education or whether a partnership with other institutions
78	78	of higher education is possible; [and]
79	79	(4) the ability of the junior college to support the
80	80	program with student enrollment and the adequacy of the junior
81	81	college's facilities, faculty, administration, libraries, and
82	82	other resources; and
83	83	(5) whether the junior college meets the taxable
84	84	property valuation amount established in Section 130.032.
85	85	(g-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (g), a degree program
86	86	established under Subsection (b-4) may be funded solely by a public
87	87	junior college's proportionate share of state appropriations under
88	88	Section 130.003, local funds, and private sources. This subsection
89	89	expires January 1, 2022.
90	90	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
91	91	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
92	92	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
93	93	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
94	94	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.