BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3348
87R17277 JRJ-F	By: Pacheco et al. (Creighton)
	Higher Education
	5/20/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 2118 (85R) allowed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to authorize certain baccalaureate degree programs at eligible public community colleges. S.B. 2118 limited eligible community colleges to offering three baccalaureate degree programs at any time, except that those that had previously participated in a pilot program still could offer up to five. A number of community colleges have successfully launched baccalaureate degrees at full capacity for their inaugural program cohorts. As Texas continues to rebuild its economy from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, community colleges will play a vital role in providing employers with an educated and trained workforce.

Eligible community colleges are looking to build on the success of baccalaureate degree offerings while meeting the demands for a skilled workforce in the communities they serve. This proposal increases the number of baccalaureate degree programs that community colleges are authorized to offer from three to five.�

H.B. 3348 amends current law relating to the number of baccalaureate degree programs certain public junior colleges may offer.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 130.306(a), Education Code, to prohibit a public junior college offering a baccalaureate degree program under Subchapter L (Baccalaureate Degree Programs), rather than under Section 130.303(a) (relating to requiring the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to authorize baccalaureate degree programs in certain fields at each public junior college that previously participated in a certain pilot project), from offering more than five baccalaureate degree programs at any time.

SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 130.306(b) (relating to prohibiting a public junior college offering a baccalaureate degree program from offering more than three baccalaureate degree programs at any time), Education Code.

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.