Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3204 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	~~89R22071~~ KJE-D
	1	+	89R12802 KJE-D
2	2		By: Metcalf H.B. No. 3204
3		-	~~Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3204:~~
4		-	~~By: Wilson C.S.H.B. No. 3204~~
	3	+
	4	+
5	5
6	6
7	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8		AN ACT
9	9		relating to the Polytechnic College at Sam Houston State
10	10		University, including the college's eligibility to participate in
11	11		certain programs.
12	12		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13		SECTION 1. Section 96.63, Education Code, is amended to
14	14		read as follows:
15	15		Sec. 96.63. POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE [JOSEY SCHOOL OF VOCATIONAL
16	16		EDUCATION]. (a) The Polytechnic College [Josey School of
17	17		Vocational Education] is a division of Sam Houston State University
18		-	and is under the direction and control of the board of regents of
19		-	the Texas State University System [Board of Regents, State Senior
20		-	Colleges].
	18	+	and is under the direction and control of the Board of Regents,
	19	+	State Senior Colleges.
21	20		(b) The administration of the college [school] is under the
22	21		direction of the president of Sam Houston State University.
23		-	(c) The college [school] shall provide ~~career and technical~~
24		-	~~education~~ [vocational training] for individuals [over the age of 18
25		-	~~who cannot~~ qualify scholastically for college entrance and for
26		-	~~other persons]~~ who desire to avail themselves of short intensive
27		-	~~courses in career and technical education~~ [vocational education in
28		-	~~the following~~ fields: agriculture, home management, distributive
29		-	~~education,~~ photography, plumbing, sheet metal work, machine shop,
30		-	~~auto~~ mechanics, furniture, electrical appliances, air conditioning
31		-	~~and~~ refrigeration, printing, radio, garment making, interior
	22	+	(c) The college [school] shall provide workforce
	23	+	[vocational] training for individuals over the age of 18 who cannot
	24	+	qualify scholastically for college entrance and for other persons
	25	+	who desire to avail themselves of short intensive courses in
	26	+	workforce training [vocational education in the following
	27	+	fields: agriculture, home management, distributive education,
	28	+	photography, plumbing, sheet metal work, machine shop, auto
	29	+	mechanics, furniture, electrical appliances, air conditioning and
	30	+	refrigeration, printing, radio, garment making, interior
32	31		decorating, light construction contracting, photoengraving,
33		-	watchmaking, and other trades of like nature]. The education
34		-	[training in these subjects] shall be designed to lead to career and
35		-	technical education certificates, as defined by the Texas Higher
36		-	Education Coordinating Board [organized so that the courses may be
37		-	completed in from 9 to 24 months. Courses may also be offered in
38		-	English and mathematics and other subjects which will contribute to
39		-	the vocational training of the student. Vocational courses in
40		-	government, designed to prepare workers in various county, city,
41		-	and state offices, may also be offered].
42		-	(d) Notwithstanding any other law, the college shall be
43		-	funded in the same manner as a public state college, as defined by
44		-	Section 61.003 [The rate of tuition charged students shall be the
45		-	actual cost of teaching service, not to exceed $500 per scholastic
46		-	year of nine months. Scholarships may be awarded by the board to
47		-	worthy indigent students who might greatly benefit from the
48		-	training offered. The amount of the scholarships may vary
49		-	according to the needs of the individuals, but in no case may it
50		-	reduce the tuition payment by the student to a point less than the
51		-	tuition fee regularly charged students at the state senior
52		-	colleges].
	32	+	watchmaking, and other trades of like nature]. The training [in
	33	+	these subjects] shall be designed to lead to an occupational skills
	34	+	award, a level one certificate, or a level two certificate, as
	35	+	defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board [organized
	36	+	so that the courses may be completed in from 9 to 24 months. Courses
	37	+	may also be offered in English and mathematics and other subjects
	38	+	which will contribute to the vocational training of the student.
	39	+	Vocational courses in government, designed to prepare workers in
	40	+	various county, city, and state offices, may also be offered].
	41	+	(d) In making funding recommendations for the college under
	42	+	Section 61.059, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
	43	+	recommend that the college be funded in the same manner as a public
	44	+	state college, as defined by Section 61.003 [The rate of tuition
	45	+	charged students shall be the actual cost of teaching service, not
	46	+	to exceed $500 per scholastic year of nine months. Scholarships may
	47	+	be awarded by the board to worthy indigent students who might
	48	+	greatly benefit from the training offered. The amount of the
	49	+	scholarships may vary according to the needs of the individuals,
	50	+	but in no case may it reduce the tuition payment by the student to a
	51	+	point less than the tuition fee regularly charged students at the
	52	+	state senior colleges].
53	53		SECTION 2. Section 56.401(2), Education Code, is amended to
54	54		read as follows:
55	55		(2) "Eligible institution" means:
56	56		(A) a public junior college;
57	57		(B) a public technical institute; [or]
58	58		(C) a public state college; or
59	59		(D) the Polytechnic College at Sam Houston State
60	60		University.
61	61		SECTION 3. Section 61.09092(a), Education Code, is amended
62	62		to read as follows:
63	63		(a) In this section, "lower-division institution of higher
64	64		education" means a public junior college, public state college, or
65	65		public technical institute and the Polytechnic College at Sam
66	66		Houston State University.
67	67		SECTION 4. Section 61.881(2), Education Code, is amended to
68	68		read as follows:
69	69		(2) "Lower-division institution of higher education"
70	70		means a public junior college, public state college, or public
71	71		technical institute and the Polytechnic College at Sam Houston
72	72		State University.
73	73		SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act to Section
74	74		56.401(2), Education Code, applies beginning with grants awarded
75	75		under the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program for the 2026
76	76		fall semester. Grants awarded under the Texas Educational
77	77		Opportunity Grant Program for an academic term before that semester
78	78		are governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective
79	79		date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
80	80		purpose.
81	81		SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act to Section
82	82		61.881(2), Education Code, applies beginning with grants awarded
83	83		under the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE)
84	84		Program for the 2025 fall semester.
85	85		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.