Amend CSHB 736 (senate committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering the remaining SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 61.09021 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.09021. COMPARISON TOOL. (a) The board shall make available to the public on the board's Internet website a search tool that allows a person to compare general academic teaching institutions that meet certain criteria selected by the person, including offering a particular major or program of study.
(b) The comparison tool required under this section must:
(1) be accessible from the board's Internet website;
(2) allow a user to identify general academic teaching institutions according to selection criteria as determined by the board; and
(3) be accessible to the public without requiring registration or use of a user name, password, or other user identification.
(c) The comparison tool required under this section must generate a comparison chart in a grid format that:
(1) lists the general academic teaching institutions that match a user's search criteria; and
(2) provides information for each institution listed that the board has determined would aid a prospective student in evaluating the institution.
(d) The Internet page displaying the comparison chart must include a link to the Internet website of the Texas Workforce Commission.
(e) To the extent practicable, the information provided under Subsection (c) must consist of information that a general academic teaching institution is required to report to the board under another provision of law, including board rule.
(f) Each general academic teaching institution shall provide to the board the information to be provided under Subsection (c) not later than October 1, or a date determined by the board, of each year. The board shall update the comparison tool as soon as practicable after receiving information from each institution.
SECTION 2. Not later than February 1, 2013, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall create and post on the board's Internet website the comparison tool required by Section 61.09021, Education Code, as added by this Act.