Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3351 Latest Draft

Bill / Comm Sub Version Filed 04/27/2021

                            87R19708 JRJ-D
 By: Pacheco, Middleton, Campos, Cortez, H.B. No. 3351
 Raney, et al.
 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3351:
 By:  Turner of Tarrant C.S.H.B. No. 3351


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to establishing the Texas Commission on Community College
 Finance.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 130, Education Code, is
 amended by adding Section 130.1305 to read as follows:
 Sec. 130.1305.  TEXAS COMMISSION ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
 FINANCE. (a)  The Texas Commission on Community College Finance is
 established to make recommendations for consideration by the 88th
 Texas Legislature regarding the state funding formula and funding
 levels for public junior colleges in Texas that would be sufficient
 to sustain viable junior college education and training offerings
 throughout the state and improve student outcomes in alignment with
 state postsecondary goals.
 (b)  The commission is composed of 12 members as follows:
 (1)  four members appointed by the governor;
 (2)  three members appointed by the lieutenant
 governor;
 (3)  three members appointed by the speaker of the
 house of representatives;
 (4)  one member appointed by the board of the Texas
 Association of Community Colleges; and
 (5)  one member appointed by the board of the Community
 College Association of Texas Trustees.
 (c)  One of the members appointed by the governor must be a
 faculty member at a public junior college as defined by Section
 61.003, and the other members appointed by the governor must be
 representatives of junior college leaders, business leaders, or
 other stakeholders knowledgeable in junior college mission,
 instructional programs, and finance.
 (d)  Members appointed by the lieutenant governor shall
 consist of:
 (1)  two members of the senate; and
 (2)  an administrator from a public junior college as
 defined by Section 61.003.
 (e)  Members appointed by the speaker of the house of
 representatives shall consist of:
 (1)  two members of the house of representatives; and
 (2)  an administrator from a public junior college as
 defined by Section 61.003.
 (f)  In making appointments, the governor, lieutenant
 governor, and speaker of the house of representatives shall
 coordinate to ensure that the membership of the commission
 reflects, to the extent possible, the geographic diversity of Texas
 public junior colleges and the ethnic diversity of the communities
 served by those junior colleges.
 (g)  The commission shall convene not later than October 15,
 2021, and shall continue its activities until completion of a final
 report.
 (h)  The commission shall examine trend and forecast data,
 seek stakeholder input, and account for equity in student outcomes
 and based on its findings, make recommendations on:
 (1)  the components of state funding for public junior
 colleges, including contact hour funding formulas established for
 public junior colleges under Subchapter C, Chapter 61, and
 Subchapter A of this chapter; and
 (2)  the feasibility of establishing shared service
 agreements or interinstitutional collaborations through which
 institutions of higher education may perform administrative
 services, other than direct instruction and student support
 services, for other institutions of higher education for a fee or
 other consideration.
 (i)  The commission may seek resource support, including
 data analyses and technical assistance, from the Texas Higher
 Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Association of Community
 Colleges, and research organizations. The commission may accept
 gifts, grants, and donations from any source to be used to carry out
 a function of the commission.
 (j)  The commission shall submit a final report and
 recommendations to the governor, lieutenant governor, and both
 houses of the legislature not later than November 1, 2022.
 (k)  This section expires January 1, 2023.
 SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.