HBA-SEP, JLV C.S.H.B. 1753 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1753
By: Gutierrez
Higher Education
3/11/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Teacher preparation and production is important to growing rural areas and
may be facilitated by improving access to education. Currently, South Texas
Community College (STCC) is the only institution of higher education
located in Starr County, and the nearest four-year institution, The
University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA), is approximately 60 miles away.
C.S.H.B. 1753 authorizes UTPA to enter into a partnership with the STCC
district, providing for the district to offer the lower-division courses
required for students admitted to a baccalaureate degree program at the
university. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1753 amends the Education Code to authorize The University of
Texas-Pan American (UTPA) to enter into a partnership agreement with  the
South Texas Community College District (district), providing for the
district to offer the lower-division courses required for students admitted
to a baccalaureate degree program at UTPA.  The bill requires UTPA to
provide for students admitted to a baccalaureate degree program who enroll
in the community college for lower-division courses under the degree
program to transfer automatically to UTPA on successful completion of the
required lower-division course work.  The bill authorizes UTPA to establish
an extension campus at Rio Grande City to offer the upper-division courses
required for students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at UTPA. 

 The bill requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, not later
than May 31, 2002, to prepare an impact statement examining the initial
implementation of these provisions and to deliver a copy of the statement
to the board of regents of The University of Texas System, to the board of
trustees of the district, and to the chair of the standing committee of
each house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher
education.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1753 modifies the original by providing for the South Texas
Community College District to offer the lower-division courses required for
students admitted to a baccalaureate degree program at UTPA, rather than
offer courses for only students enrolled in a teacher preparation program
at UTPA.  The substitute requires UTPA to provide for students admitted to
a baccalaureate degree program who enroll in the community college for
lower-division courses under the degree program to transfer automatically
to UTPA on successful completion of the required lower-division course
work.  The substitute additionally authorizes the university to establish
an extension campus at Rio Grande City to offer the upper-division courses
required for students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at the
university.