BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3308

By: Flores

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, junior college districts are allowed to operate shared dual usage educational complexes. In order to maximize and fully use these facilities, junior college districts are allowed to enter into agreements with other entities in the district or region to use the facility. However, the law prevents a junior college district from entering into an agreement with an institution of higher education outside of its immediate uniform service region. This limits the potential usage of the educational complex and the educational opportunities for people in the district.

H.B. 3308 authorizes a junior college district to enter into a cooperative agreement with an institution of higher education located in a different uniform service region to use a dual usage educational complex operated by the junior college district.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3308 amends the Education Code to remove the condition that an institution of higher education have a campus or other educational facility located in the same state uniform service region as a junior college district in order for the board of trustees of the junior college district to enter into a cooperative agreement with the governing body of the institution of higher education regarding the operation and use of a dual usage educational complex established by the junior college district.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.