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AN ACT
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relating to the degrees awarded by the Texas State Technical  | 
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College System. | 
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       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
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       SECTION 1.  Section 135.011, Education Code, is amended to  | 
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read as follows: | 
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       Sec. 135.011.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter [section]: | 
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             (1)  "Board" means the board of regents of the Texas  | 
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State Technical College System. | 
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             (2)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher  | 
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Education Coordinating Board. | 
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             (3)  "System" means the Texas State Technical College  | 
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System. | 
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             (4)  "Faculty research" means research using the  | 
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system's facilities and equipment that is: | 
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                   (A)  consistent with the system's mission; and | 
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                   (B)  funded by private sources, competitively  | 
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acquired sources, or appropriated public funding. | 
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             (5)  "Campus" means a residential unit of the system  | 
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that grants associate degrees and certificates. | 
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             (6)  "Extension center" means a site, operating under  | 
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the administration of a campus, that has an extension program. | 
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             (7)  "Extension program" includes credit and noncredit  | 
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instruction in technical-vocational education. | 
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       SECTION 2.  Section 135.51, Education Code, is amended to  | 
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read as follows: | 
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       Sec. 135.51.  CERTIFICATES, DIPLOMAS, AND ASSOCIATE  | 
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DEGREES.  (a) The board shall prescribe and award associate of  | 
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applied science degrees, certificates, and diplomas limited to  | 
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those appropriate to technical education. | 
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       (b)  The board may offer and award an associate of science  | 
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degree in a field of study at Texas State Technical  | 
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College--Harlingen campus if the coordinating board determines  | 
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that the degree in that field of study: | 
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             (1)  is appropriate to the role and mission of the  | 
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system; and | 
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             (2)  meets the educational or workforce needs of the  | 
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region in which the campus is located. | 
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       SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives  | 
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as  | 
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this  | 
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this  | 
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. | 
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______________________________ | 
______________________________ | 
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   President of the Senate | 
Speaker of the House      | 
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       I certify that H.B. No. 1325 was passed by the House on April  | 
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28, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not  | 
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voting. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Chief Clerk of the House    | 
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       I certify that H.B. No. 1325 was passed by the Senate on May  | 
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25, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Secretary of the Senate     | 
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APPROVED:  _____________________ | 
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                   Date           | 
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          _____________________ | 
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                 Governor        |