By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1394

(In the Senate - Filed March 5, 2009; March 17, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education; April 20, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 20, 2009, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1394 By: Duncan

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to notification of an applicant for admission to a general academic teaching institution regarding the availability of degree programs in the applicant's preferred major field of study offered by other institutions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 51.7635 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.7635. NOTIFICATION REGARDING DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN APPLICANT'S PREFERRED MAJOR FIELD. (a) The board by rule shall require that each applicant for admission to a general academic teaching institution who designates on the applicant's ApplyTexas online admission application form or other electronic application form applicable to all general academic teaching institutions one or more choices or preferences for the applicant's major field of study must promptly be redirected by the application website to a notification regarding the availability of degree programs in that field of study offered by general academic teaching institutions.

(b) The notification required by Subsection (a) must include a list of those general academic teaching institutions offering comparable degree programs in the applicant's designated field of study, and must provide the following information, or electronic links to the following information, for each institution:

(1) the institution's location and distance from the applicant's home zip code;

(2) a description of the programs offered by the institution in the applicant's designated major field of study;

(3) graduation and retention rate information for the institution; and

(4) any other information the board considers appropriate to assist the applicant in selecting among institutions.

(c) In addition to providing the notification required by Subsection (a), if a general academic teaching institution denies admission to any applicant who designated one or more choices or preferences for the applicant's major field of study on the applicant's admission application form described by Subsection (a), the institution shall include in its notice of denial a link to detailed information available on the application website regarding the availability of degree programs in that field of study offered by other general academic teaching institutions.

SECTION 2. Section 51.7635, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with applicants for admission to a general academic teaching institution for the 2011-2012 academic year.

SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt the rules required by Section 51.7635, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect. For that purpose, the coordinating board may adopt the initial rules in the manner provided by law for emergency rules.

SECTION 4. This Act does not make an appropriation. A provision in this Act that creates a new governmental program, creates a new entitlement, or imposes a new duty on a governmental entity is not mandatory during a fiscal period for which the legislature has not made a specific appropriation to implement the provision.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

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