1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to a partnership or affiliation between certain entities
1-3 and a general academic teaching institution or a medical and dental
1-4 unit.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 61.055, Education Code, is amended to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 61.055. INITIATION OF NEW DEPARTMENTS, SCHOOLS, AND
1-9 PROGRAMS; PARTNERSHIPS OR AFFILIATIONS. (a) Except as otherwise
1-10 provided by law, a new department, school, or degree or certificate
1-11 program approved by the board or its predecessor, the Texas
1-12 Commission on Higher Education, may not be initiated by any
1-13 institution of higher education until the board has made a written
1-14 finding that the department, school, or degree or certificate
1-15 program is adequately financed by legislative appropriation, by
1-16 funds allocated by the board, or by funds from other sources.
1-17 (b) A general academic teaching institution or medical and
1-18 dental unit may establish a partnership or affiliation with another
1-19 entity to offer or conduct courses for academic credit or to offer
1-20 or operate a degree program if:
1-21 (1) the governing board or other appropriate official
1-22 of the institution or unit determines that the partnership or
1-23 affiliation is:
1-24 (A) consistent with the role and mission
2-1 established for the institution or unit;
2-2 (B) in accordance with the degree and
2-3 certificate programs authorized to be offered by the institution or
2-4 unit; and
2-5 (C) consistent with the role and mission of the
2-6 university system, if any, to which the institution or unit
2-7 belongs;
2-8 (2) the partnership or affiliation is approved by the
2-9 coordinating board; or
2-10 (3) the partnership or affiliation is established to
2-11 secure or provide clinical or other similar practical educational
2-12 experience in connection with a course or degree program authorized
2-13 to be offered by the institution or unit.
2-14 SECTION 2. This Act does not affect a partnership or
2-15 affiliation established before the effective date of this Act.
2-16 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-17 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-18 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
2-19 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-20 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1685 was passed by the House on April
23, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 1, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 1685 on May 24, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 0,
1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1685 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 17, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
0, 1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________________
Date
__________________________
Governor