86R13872 SOS-F
By: Powell S.B. No. 1356
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the approval of certain degree programs by the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 61.0512(h), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(h) In approving [a degree or certificate program under this
section, the board:
[(1) for a doctoral program, may not consider
undergraduate graduation or persistence rates; and
[(2) for] a baccalaureate degree program proposed to
be offered by a public junior college previously authorized by the
board to offer baccalaureate degree programs under a pilot project
described by Section 130.303(a), as added by Chapter 766 (S.B.
2118), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, the
board [130.0012]:
(1) [(A)] shall approve the degree program within 60
days after the date the board receives notice of the degree program
if the degree program:
(A) [(i)] is approved by the governing board of
the junior college district; and
(B) [(ii)] is not an engineering program; and
(2) [(B)] is considered to have approved the degree
program after the date described by Subdivision (1) [Paragraph (A)]
if the conditions of that subdivision [paragraph] are satisfied.
SECTION 2. 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, 2019.