BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 530 By: Sparks Higher Education Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill sponsor has informed the committee that in 2019, the first Trump administration removed the "regional accreditor" classification of higher education institutions, which allowed colleges and universities to switch to any nationally recognized accreditor under federal law. However, the bill sponsor has also informed the committee that state law currently ties the definition of certain colleges and universities to a specific accreditorthe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. S.B. 530 seeks to address this issue by aligning Texas with federal law and updating the definition of "recognized accrediting agency." CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS S.B. 530 amends the Education Code to remove the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools from the definition of "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of public postsecondary educational institutions. Accordingly, the bill does the following: replaces specific references to the "Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools" with "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of a public junior college and the completion of remaining semester credit hours needed for a career and technical education program of study curriculum by a student who transfers to a public junior college, public state college, or public technical institute; and replaces specific references to the "Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges" with "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of Texas Woman's University at Dallas and Texas Woman's University at Houston. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
S.B. 530
By: Sparks
Higher Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
S.B. 530
By: Sparks
Higher Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill sponsor has informed the committee that in 2019, the first Trump administration removed the "regional accreditor" classification of higher education institutions, which allowed colleges and universities to switch to any nationally recognized accreditor under federal law. However, the bill sponsor has also informed the committee that state law currently ties the definition of certain colleges and universities to a specific accreditorthe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. S.B. 530 seeks to address this issue by aligning Texas with federal law and updating the definition of "recognized accrediting agency."
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS S.B. 530 amends the Education Code to remove the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools from the definition of "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of public postsecondary educational institutions. Accordingly, the bill does the following: replaces specific references to the "Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools" with "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of a public junior college and the completion of remaining semester credit hours needed for a career and technical education program of study curriculum by a student who transfers to a public junior college, public state college, or public technical institute; and replaces specific references to the "Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges" with "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of Texas Woman's University at Dallas and Texas Woman's University at Houston.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill sponsor has informed the committee that in 2019, the first Trump administration removed the "regional accreditor" classification of higher education institutions, which allowed colleges and universities to switch to any nationally recognized accreditor under federal law. However, the bill sponsor has also informed the committee that state law currently ties the definition of certain colleges and universities to a specific accreditorthe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. S.B. 530 seeks to address this issue by aligning Texas with federal law and updating the definition of "recognized accrediting agency."
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
S.B. 530 amends the Education Code to remove the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools from the definition of "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of public postsecondary educational institutions. Accordingly, the bill does the following:
replaces specific references to the "Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools" with "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of a public junior college and the completion of remaining semester credit hours needed for a career and technical education program of study curriculum by a student who transfers to a public junior college, public state college, or public technical institute; and
replaces specific references to the "Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges" with "recognized accrediting agency" for purposes of statutory provisions relating to the accreditation of Texas Woman's University at Dallas and Texas Woman's University at Houston.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.