| 1 | 1 | | 87R5706 MM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 2085 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a feasibility study regarding establishing a four-year |
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| 8 | 8 | | institution of higher education in the Texas-Mexico border region. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 61.06696 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 61.06696. STUDY REGARDING ESTABLISHMENT OF FOUR-YEAR |
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| 13 | 13 | | INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER REGION. (a) |
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| 14 | 14 | | The board shall conduct a study to examine the need for and |
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| 15 | 15 | | feasibility of establishing a four-year institution of higher |
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| 16 | 16 | | education in the Texas-Mexico border region served by Sul Ross |
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| 17 | 17 | | State University Rio Grande College. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The study must identify and examine: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) the impact of Sul Ross State University Rio Grande |
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| 20 | 20 | | College on the region, including; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (A) the number of students served by Sul Ross |
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| 22 | 22 | | State University Rio Grande College; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (B) the graduation rates of students served by |
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| 24 | 24 | | Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) the challenges related to the distance between the |
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| 26 | 26 | | campuses of Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College and Sul |
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| 27 | 27 | | Ross State University; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (3) the gaps in educational opportunities that exist |
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| 29 | 29 | | for students in the region and the effect of those gaps on local |
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| 30 | 30 | | employers; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (4) the feasibility of establishing an institution |
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| 32 | 32 | | described by Subsection (a) in the city of Eagle Pass. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) The board shall prepare a written report that: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) identifies the challenges related to establishing |
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| 35 | 35 | | a new institution of higher education in the region; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) includes recommendations for legislative or other |
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| 37 | 37 | | action; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | (3) includes any other matter the board considers |
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| 39 | 39 | | appropriate. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (d) Not later than December 1, 2022, the board shall submit |
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| 41 | 41 | | the written report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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| 42 | 42 | | speaker of the house of representatives, and the chair of each |
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| 43 | 43 | | standing committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over higher |
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| 44 | 44 | | education. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (e) This section expires September 1, 2023. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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