By: Clardy, Rodriguez of Bexar H.B. No. 655
(Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini)
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2017;
May 3, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
Education; May 12, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 12, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the filing of a degree plan by students at public junior
colleges.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 51.9685(a)(2), Education Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(2) "Institution of higher education" and "public
junior college" have [has] the meanings [meaning] assigned by
Section 61.003.
SECTION 2. Section 51.9685, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
(c-1) Notwithstanding Subsections (b) and (c), a student
enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program at a public
junior college shall file a degree plan with the college not later
than:
(1) the end of the second regular semester or term
immediately following the semester or term in which the student
earned a cumulative total of 30 or more semester credit hours of
course credit for courses described by Subsection (b); or
(2) if the student begins the student's first semester
or term at the college with 30 or more semester credit hours of
course credit for courses described by Subsection (b), the end of
the student's second regular semester or term at the college.
SECTION 3. Section 51.9685(c-1), Education Code, as added
by this Act, applies beginning with students who initially enroll
in a public junior college for the 2018 fall semester.
SECTION 4. 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, 2017.
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