By:  Bivins                                             S.B. No. 69
       73R1849 SOS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to assessment of the educational effect of legislation
    1-3  establishing additional institutions of higher education, campuses,
    1-4  extension centers, or professional schools or converting or merging
    1-5  those entities.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  Section 61.056, Education Code, is amended to
    1-8  read as follows:
    1-9        Sec. 61.056.  ASSESSING THE EDUCATIONAL IMPACT <REVIEW> OF
   1-10  LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING ADDITIONAL INSTITUTIONS, CAMPUSES,
   1-11  EXTENSION CENTERS, OR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS OR CONVERTING OR MERGING
   1-12  THOSE ENTITIES.  (a)  Any proposed statute that <which> would
   1-13  establish a new professional school, an additional institution of
   1-14  higher education, or an additional campus or extension center of an
   1-15  institution of higher education or would convert or merge
   1-16  professional schools, institutions of higher education, or campuses
   1-17  or extension centers of those entities<, except a public junior
   1-18  college,> shall be submitted to the board<, either prior to
   1-19  introduction or> by the chair of the standing committee considering
   1-20  the proposed statute immediately after its referral to the
   1-21  committee<, to the board for its opinion as to the state's need for
   1-22  the institution>.
   1-23        (b)  The board shall assess the state's need for the change
   1-24  and shall report its findings to the governor and the legislature
    2-1  as soon as possible but not later than the 20th day before the last
    2-2  possible day of the legislative session, unless submission to the
    2-3  board occurs later than the 30th day before the last possible day
    2-4  of the legislative session.  The board is not required to report
    2-5  its findings in less than 30 days.  If there is insufficient time
    2-6  for the board to complete its study during the legislative session,
    2-7  the board shall report its findings during the next legislative
    2-8  session.
    2-9        (c)  A recommendation that such a change <an additional
   2-10  institution> is needed shall require the favorable vote of <at
   2-11  least two-thirds of> the members of the board.  The standing
   2-12  committee may not vote on the proposed statute until the committee
   2-13  receives the board's assessment.
   2-14        (d)  This section does not apply to statutes affecting public
   2-15  junior colleges <A recommendation of the board shall not be
   2-16  considered a condition precedent to the introduction or passage of
   2-17  any proposed statute>.
   2-18        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-19  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-20  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-21  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-22  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-23  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-24  passage, and it is so enacted.