Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2177 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.B. No. 2177
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to establishing a digital course materials pilot program.
6	6	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
7	7	SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
8	8	amended by adding Section 61.0667 to read as follows:
9	9	Sec. 61.0667. DIGITAL COURSE MATERIALS PILOT PROGRAM. (a)
10	10	In this section:
11	11	(1) "Digital course material" means a digital
12	12	textbook, supplemental material, or open educational resource, as
13	13	those terms are defined by Section 51.451.
14	14	(2) "Eligible institution" means a public junior
15	15	college, public technical institute, or public state college.
16	16	(b) The board shall establish a pilot program under which
17	17	the board awards grants to participating eligible institutions to
18	18	provide financial assistance to students for the cost of accessing
19	19	digital course materials.
20	20	(c) The board shall adopt rules necessary to administer the
21	21	pilot program, including rules to:
22	22	(1) establish a methodology for selecting eligible
23	23	institutions to participate in the pilot program and allocating
24	24	money appropriated for the purpose of the pilot program among those
25	25	institutions that, to the greatest extent possible, results in a
26	26	distribution of grant awards that:
27	27	(A) reflects the varied geography and unique
28	28	institutional missions in this state; and
29	29	(B) serves students who meet financial need
30	30	requirements as defined by the board for the Texas Educational
31	31	Opportunity Grant Program under Subchapter P, Chapter 56, and other
32	32	diverse student populations that characterize higher education in
33	33	this state; and
34	34	(2) establish criteria that participating
35	35	institutions must use to evaluate digital course materials that may
36	36	be accessed using grants awarded under the pilot program, which may
37	37	include criteria regarding:
38	38	(A) access to relevant technical support;
39	39	(B) adherence to accessibility standards for
40	40	students with disabilities;
41	41	(C) positive impact on student outcomes;
42	42	(D) immediate access and availability of the
43	43	materials to all students enrolled at the institution;
44	44	(E) faculty access to resources and training
45	45	materials;
46	46	(F) subscription-based models;
47	47	(G) inclusive-access models; and
48	48	(H) supplemental resources that may be provided
49	49	to assist students with career readiness workforce development.
50	50	(d) In developing the rules adopted under Subsection (c),
51	51	the board shall solicit input from publishers, campus bookstore
52	52	operators, and other relevant industry representatives.
53	53	(e) This section does not affect any authority granted by an
54	54	eligible institution to a faculty member to select course materials
55	55	for courses taught by the faculty member.
56	56	(f) Not later than September 1, 2026, the board shall submit
57	57	to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house
58	58	of representatives, and the presiding officer of each legislative
59	59	standing committee with primary jurisdiction over higher education
60	60	a report that evaluates the effectiveness of the pilot program in
61	61	improving student outcomes. The report must include a
62	62	recommendation regarding whether the pilot program should be
63	63	continued, expanded, or terminated.
64	64	(g) This section expires September 1, 2027.
65	65	SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
66	66	Board shall adopt rules to administer the pilot program established
67	67	under Section 61.0667, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon
68	68	as practicable after the effective date of this Act.
69	69	(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
70	70	award initial grants under Section 61.0667, Education Code, as
71	71	added by this Act, beginning with the 2024 spring semester.
72	72	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
73	73	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
74	74	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
75	75	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
76	76	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
77	77	______________________________ ______________________________
78	78	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
79	79	I certify that H.B. No. 2177 was passed by the House on May 2,
80	80	2023, by the following vote: Yeas 113, Nays 32, 2 present, not
81	81	voting.
82	82	______________________________
83	83	Chief Clerk of the House
84	84	I certify that H.B. No. 2177 was passed by the Senate on May
85	85	21, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9.
86	86	______________________________
87	87	Secretary of the Senate
88	88	APPROVED: _____________________
89	89	Date
90	90	_____________________
91	91	Governor