S.B. No. 1230
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) one individual who is an administrator of a public
junior college as defined by Section 61.003, a business leader, or a
stakeholder knowledgeable in junior college mission, instructional
programs, and finance.
(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) To inform the recommendations required under Subsection
(h), the commission may examine and make recommendations on other
policy and finance matters, including:
(1) workforce demand and skills gaps;
(2) dual credit programs and costs;
(3) variation between taxing districts and service
areas;
(4) student graduation, transfer, and success
metrics; and
(5) the relationship between economic cycles and
student enrollment.
(j) 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.
(k) The governor shall designate the presiding officer of
the commission.
(l) 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.
(m) This section expires January 1, 2023.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1230 passed the Senate on
April 23, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 13, 2021, by the
following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1230 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 7, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 119,
Nays 15, one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor