Amend CSHB 3025 by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering the remaining SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 61.833 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.833. CREDIT TRANSFER FOR ASSOCIATE DEGREE. (a) In this section, "lower-division institution of higher education" means a public junior college, public state college, or public technical institute.
(b) This section applies to a student enrolled in a general academic teaching institution who:
(1) transferred to the institution from or previously attended a lower-division institution of higher education;
(2) earned at least 30 credit hours for course work successfully completed at the lower-division institution of higher education; and
(3) has earned a cumulative total of at least 90 credit hours for course work successfully completed.
(c) As soon as practicable after a student who is enrolled in a general academic teaching institution has met the criteria established by Subsection (b)(3), the institution by e-mail or other reasonable method shall request authorization from the student for the institution to release the student's transcript to the lower-division institution of higher education that the student previously attended for the purpose of determining whether the student has earned the credits required for an associate degree awarded by the lower-division institution of higher education. On receipt of a student's authorization under this subsection, the general academic teaching institution shall release the student's transcript to the lower-division institution of higher education.
(d) After receiving a student transcript from a general academic teaching institution under Subsection (c), a lower-division institution of higher education shall review the transcript and, if the lower-division institution of higher education determines the student has earned the credits required to receive an associate degree awarded by the lower-division institution of higher education, may award the student the degree.
SECTION ____. The change in law made by this Act by adding Section 61.833, Education Code, applies to a student who not earlier than the 2011 fall semester transfers to or otherwise initially enrolls in a general academic teaching institution after attending a lower-division institution of higher education.