Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2086 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: West S.B. No. 2086
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2017; March 28, 2017, read
	3	+	first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
	4	+	May 8, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	5	+	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 8, 2017,
	6	+	sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2086 By: West
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3	10
4	11		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	12		AN ACT
6	13		relating to measures to facilitate the transfer of students and
7	14		course credit within the public higher education system.
8	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	16		SECTION 1. Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
10	17		amended by adding Section 61.834 to read as follows:
11	18		Sec. 61.834. REGIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR TRANSFER COMPACTS.
12	19		(a) The board shall divide the state into regions for the purpose
13	20		of establishing a regional consortium among the institutions of
14	21		higher education located within each region to facilitate the
15	22		transfer of students and the transfer of course credit between
16	23		institutions within the region. In developing the regions, the
17	24		board shall give consideration to existing consortiums.
18	25		(b) The board shall designate a general academic teaching
19	26		institution within each region as the lead institution. Each
20	27		public junior college, public state college, public technical
21	28		institute, and general academic teaching institution shall
22	29		participate in its assigned regional consortium.
23	30		(c) For the purposes of this section, each general academic
24	31		teaching institution shall annually identify and report to the
25	32		board the 25 degree programs with the greatest student enrollment
26	33		at the institution or the degree programs in which a major has been
27	34		declared that constitute at least 70 percent of the student
28	35		enrollment at the institution. The board shall compile the
29	36		information the board receives from the general academic teaching
30	37		institutions in each regional consortium and report to each
31	38		consortium the 25 degree programs at general academic teaching
32	39		institutions in that consortium with the greatest student
33	40		enrollment overall.
34	41		(d) Each regional consortium shall develop transfer
35	42		compacts that identify specific courses included in the common
36	43		course numbering system acceptable as credit toward the identified
37	44		degree programs under Subsection (c) in each region. The transfer
38	45		compacts must include agreements on the transfer of course credit
39	46		for those degree programs and related student advising, career
40	47		planning, and student support services at each institution in the
41	48		regional consortium.
42	49		(e) The board shall adopt rules for the operation of a
43	50		regional consortium established under this section.
44	51		SECTION 2. Section 61.830, Education Code, is amended to
45	52		read as follows:
46	53		Sec. 61.830. PUBLICATION OF GUIDELINES ADDRESSING TRANSFER
47	54		PRACTICES. (a) In its course catalogs and on its website, each
48	55		institution of higher education shall publish guidelines
49	56		addressing the practices of the institution regarding the transfer
50	57		of course credit.
51	58		(b) In the guidelines, each [the] institution of higher
52	59		education must identify a course by using the common course
53	60		numbering system approved by the board.
54	61		(c) Each general academic teaching institution must include
55	62		the following in its guidelines:
56	63		(1) the identified degree programs under Section
57	64		61.834(c) in the regional consortium in which the institution
58	65		participates under Section 61.834 and the core curriculum and any
59	66		additional lower-division requirements for each of those degree
60	67		programs;
61	68		(2) a list of the courses offered by institutions of
62	69		higher education participating in the institution's regional
63	70		consortium that are considered by the board to be general academic
64	71		transfer courses that may be offered for state funding by public
65	72		junior colleges, public state colleges, and public technical
66	73		institutes; and
67	74		(3) the field of study curriculum for each degree
68	75		offered by the institution.
69	76		(d) Each public junior college, public state college, and
70	77		public technical institute must prominently indicate in its
71	78		guidelines any general academic teaching institution with which it
72	79		has entered into an agreement concerning the transfer of course
73	80		credit.
74	81		SECTION 3. (a) Not later than January 1, 2018, the Texas
75	82		Higher Education Coordinating Board shall establish the regional
76	83		consortiums required by Section 61.834, Education Code, as added by
77	84		this Act.
78	85		(b) Each regional consortium must develop the transfer
79	86		compacts required under Section 61.834, Education Code, as added by
80	87		this Act, to apply beginning with enrollment for the 2019 fall
81	88		semester.
82	89		SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to Section
83	90		61.830, Education Code, apply beginning with the 2019-2020 academic
84	91		year.
85	92		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
86	93		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
87	94		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
88	95		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
89	96		Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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