By Hunter of Nueces, Finnell, Kamel                     H.B. No. 85
       74R1431(1) JSA
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the development of distance learning and related
    1-3  activities by institutions of higher education.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 61.075 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 61.075.  DISTANCE LEARNING MASTER PLAN.  (a)  The board,
    1-8  in cooperation with institutions of higher education, shall develop
    1-9  a master plan for the development of distance learning by
   1-10  institutions of higher education.  The plan shall include
   1-11  recommendations for:
   1-12              (1)  the coordination and integration of distance
   1-13  learning and related telecommunications activities among
   1-14  institutions of higher education and other public or private
   1-15  entities to achieve optimum efficiency in providing necessary
   1-16  services, including identification of the cost savings to be
   1-17  achieved by use of distance learning and related activities such as
   1-18  teleconferencing or sharing resources by telecommunications;
   1-19              (2)  the development and acquisition of distance
   1-20  learning infrastructure and equipment within and among institutions
   1-21  of higher education;
   1-22              (3)  the establishment of uniform or compatible
   1-23  standards and technologies for distance learning;
   1-24              (4)  the training of faculty and staff in the use and
    2-1  operation of distance learning facilities;
    2-2              (5)  appropriate applications of distance learning;
    2-3              (6)  funding for implementing and administering
    2-4  distance learning, and the development of appropriate fees for
    2-5  services offered through distance learning;
    2-6              (7)  revising regulatory policy relating to public
    2-7  utilities to facilitate distance learning; and
    2-8              (8)  any statutory or regulatory changes desirable to
    2-9  promote distance learning or to implement the master plan.
   2-10        (b)  The board may include in the plan any related
   2-11  recommendation the board considers appropriate, including
   2-12  recommendations for coordination of distance learning with other
   2-13  telecommunications activities and services conducted by government
   2-14  agencies or private entities.    The board and participating
   2-15  institutions of higher education may request the cooperation or
   2-16  participation of the Central Education Agency, the Department of
   2-17  Information Resources, or the General Services Commission in
   2-18  preparing the master plan.
   2-19        (c)  The governing board of each of the following entities
   2-20  shall designate a person to serve as the entity's representative in
   2-21  the initial development of the master plan:
   2-22              (1)  The University of Texas System;
   2-23              (2)  The Texas A&M University System;
   2-24              (3)  the Texas State University System;
   2-25              (4)  Lamar University System;
   2-26              (5)  Texas Tech University; and
   2-27              (6)  the University of Houston System.
    3-1        (d)  The board shall provide for the participation of any
    3-2  other institution of higher education the governing board of which
    3-3  requests to participate in the initial development of the master
    3-4  plan.     A group of more than one institution may designate a
    3-5  single person to represent those institutions.     The board may
    3-6  provide for the participation of private educational institutions
    3-7  as the board considers appropriate.
    3-8        (e)  The board shall complete the master plan and present the
    3-9  plan to the legislature by December 31, 1996.     The presentation
   3-10  shall include a report of the then-current use of distance learning
   3-11  by institutions of higher education and of the plans of those
   3-12  institutions to implement, improve, or expand the use of distance
   3-13  learning.     The board may revise the master plan at any
   3-14  subsequent time as the board considers appropriate.
   3-15        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-16  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-17  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-18  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-19  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.