LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 15, 2005

TO:	Honorable Geanie Morrison, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1311 by Puente (Relating to requiring a course in multicultural or gender studies in baccalaureate degree programs at public institutions of higher education.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Under provisions of the bill, an institution of higher education may not award a baccalaureate degree to a student unless the student successfully completes a course of at least three semester credit hours in multicultural studies or gender studies approved for that purpose by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The bill does not apply to a baccalaureate degree awarded before September 1, 2007.  Several institutions already have courses in place that would satisfy the requirements of the bill. Institutions that do not have courses in place would implement provisions of the bill within existing resources. 

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Board of Regents, Texas State University System Central Office, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration

LBB Staff:

JOB, CT, RT, GO