By: Paxton S.B. No. 1424
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer
certain baccalaureate degree programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 130.303(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The coordinating board may authorize baccalaureate
degree programs at one or more public junior colleges if the public
junior college:
(1) offers [thatoffer] a degree program in one of the
following:
(A) the field of applied science, including a
degree program in the field of applied science with an emphasis in
early childhood education, applied technology, or nursing; or
(B) the field of education; and
(2) demonstrates [have dcmonstratcd] a workforce need
for the program.
SECTION 2. Section 130.306(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A public junior college offering a baccalaureate degree
program under this subchapter may not offer more than eight [fivc]
baccalaureate degree programs at any time.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.