Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB712 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R1686 KEL-D
2	2	By: Wu H.B. No. 712
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a single common course numbering system for public
8	8	institutions of higher education in this state.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 61.822(b), Education Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	(b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core
13	13	curriculum of not [no] less than 42 semester credit hours,
14	14	including specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core
15	15	curriculum shall be consistent with the single common course
16	16	numbering system approved by the board under Section 61.832(a) and
17	17	with the statement, recommendations, and rules issued by the board.
18	18	An institution may have a core curriculum of other than 42 semester
19	19	credit hours only if approved by the board.
20	20	SECTION 2. Section 61.830, Education Code, is amended to
21	21	read as follows:
22	22	Sec. 61.830. PUBLICATION OF GUIDELINES ADDRESSING TRANSFER
23	23	PRACTICES. In its course catalogs and on its website, each
24	24	institution of higher education shall publish guidelines
25	25	addressing the practices of the institution regarding the transfer
26	26	of course credit. In the guidelines, the institution must use
27	27	[identify a course by using] the single common course numbering
28	28	system as required by Section 61.832 to identify each of its offered
29	29	courses for which a common number designation and course
30	30	description are included by the board in that system [approved by
31	31	the board].
32	32	SECTION 3. Section 61.832, Education Code, is amended to
33	33	read as follows:
34	34	Sec. 61.832. COMMON COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM. (a) The board
35	35	shall approve a single common course numbering system for
36	36	lower-division courses to facilitate the transfer of those courses
37	37	among institutions of higher education by promoting consistency in
38	38	course designation and identification.
39	39	(b) The board shall solicit input from institutions of
40	40	higher education regarding the development of the single common
41	41	course numbering system.
42	42	(c) Each institution of higher education shall:
43	43	(1) use the approved common course numbering system in
44	44	the institution's guidelines regarding the transfer of course
45	45	credit for each course for which a common number designation and
46	46	course description are included by the board in that system; and
47	47	(2) include the applicable course numbers from the
48	48	approved common course numbering system in its course catalogs and
49	49	other course listings.
50	50	(d) The board may approve only a common course numbering
51	51	system already in common use in this state by one or more
52	52	institutions of higher education.
53	53	(e) [(c)] The board shall cooperate with institutions of
54	54	higher education in any additional development or alteration of the
55	55	common course numbering system approved under Subsection (a),
56	56	including the taxonomy to be used, and in the development of rules
57	57	for the administration and applicability of the system.
58	58	(f) Each institution of higher education must certify
59	59	annually to the board the accuracy of the institution's
60	60	identification, in its course catalogs and other course listings,
61	61	of each course offered by the institution for which a common number
62	62	designation and course description are included by the board in the
63	63	common course numbering system. As part of the certification
64	64	required by this subsection, the institution shall specify each of
65	65	its offered courses for which a common number designation and
66	66	course description are included in that system and each of its
67	67	offered courses for which a common number designation and course
68	68	description are not included in that system. The institution also
69	69	shall include with its certification a current, publicly accessible
70	70	website address at which the institution publishes its guidelines
71	71	regarding the transfer of course credit.
72	72	(g) The board may, based on the board's review of the
73	73	information certified under Subsection (f), recommend corrective
74	74	action to an institution's governing board if the institution fails
75	75	to comply with the requirements of this section. In its next
76	76	legislative appropriations request made to the legislature, the
77	77	board shall identify each institution that fails to comply with the
78	78	board's recommended corrective action.
79	79	(h) Not later than June 1, 2018, the board shall:
80	80	(1) approve a single common course numbering system as
81	81	required by Subsection (a); and
82	82	(2) establish a timetable that requires institutions
83	83	of higher education to phase in the inclusion of the applicable
84	84	course numbers from the approved common course numbering system in
85	85	their individual guidelines regarding the transfer of course credit
86	86	and in their individual course numbering systems as required by
87	87	this section so that each institution fully complies with this
88	88	section for each course that is offered during the 2022-2023
89	89	academic year or a subsequent academic year and for which a common
90	90	number designation and course description are included by the board
91	91	in that system.
92	92	(h-1) Subsection (h) and this subsection expire January 1,
93	93	2024.
94	94	[(d) An institution of higher education shall include in its
95	95	course listings the applicable course numbers from the common
96	96	course numbering system approved by the board under this section.
97	97	For good cause, the board may grant to an institution of higher
98	98	education an exemption from the requirements of this subsection.]
99	99	SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
100	100	section, the change in law made by this Act applies beginning with
101	101	the 2018-2019 academic year.
102	102	(b) The change in law made by this Act in adding Sections
103	103	61.832(f) and (g), Education Code, applies beginning with the
104	104	2022-2023 academic year.
105	105	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
106	106	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
107	107	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
108	108	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
109	109	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.