SRC-MKV S.B. 599 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 599
77R396 JSA-DBy: Shapleigh
Education
3/28/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Part of the mission of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is to
develop and adopt a longrange statewide plan that addresses the needs of
higher education.  Currently, the state is experiencing a very high
population growth in the urban and border regions of the state.  The future
economic development of the state depends in large part on the education of
the population.  As proposed, S.B. 599 requires the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board to complete periodic comprehensive statewide higher
education plans that provide information and guidance to policy makers.
These plans, due in November of each even-numbered year, will examine
current services to the residents of each region of the state and propose
recommendations to address the needs of these populations. 

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 61.051, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(i), as follows: 

(i)  Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to
develop and periodically revise a statewide plan to provide information and
guidance to policy makers to ensure that institutions of higher education
meet the current and future needs of each region of this state for higher
education services and that adequate higher education services at all
levels are reasonably and equally available to the residents of each region
of this state.  Requires the board, in developing the plan, to examine
existing undergraduate, graduate, professional, and research programs
provided by institutions of higher education (institutions) and identify
the geographic areas of this state that, as a result of current populations
or projected population growth, distance from other educational resources,
economic trends, or other factors, have or are reasonably likely to have in
the future significantly greater need for higher education services than
the services currently provided in the area by existing institutions.
Requires the board to identify as specifically as practicable the programs
or fields of study for which an area has or is projected to have a
significant unmet need for services.  Requires the board to consider the
educational attainment of the current population and the extent to which
residents from the area attend institutions outside of the area or do not
attend institutions, in determining the need for higher educational
services in the area.  Requires the board to include in the plan specific
recommendations, including alternative recommendations, for administrative
or legislative action to address an area's unmet need for higher
educational services as efficiently as possible. Requires the board to
deliver to the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature a report of
the current long-range plan developed under this section, not later than
November 1 of each even-numbered year. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.