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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing a lower-division institution of higher |
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education to award an associate degree to a student enrolled in a |
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four-year public institution of higher education who previously |
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attended the lower-division institution. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.833 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.833. CREDIT TRANSFER FOR ASSOCIATE DEGREE. (a) In |
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this section, "lower-division institution of higher education" |
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means a public junior college, public state college, or public |
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technical institute. |
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(b) This section applies to a student enrolled in a general |
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academic teaching institution who: |
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(1) transferred to the institution from or previously |
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attended a lower-division institution of higher education; |
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(2) earned at least 30 credit hours for course work |
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successfully completed at the lower-division institution of higher |
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education; and |
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(3) has earned a cumulative total of at least 90 credit |
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hours for course work successfully completed. |
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(c) As soon as practicable after a student who is enrolled |
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in a general academic teaching institution has met the criteria |
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established by Subsection (b)(3), the institution by e-mail or |
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other reasonable method shall request authorization from the |
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student for the institution to release the student's transcript to |
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the lower-division institution of higher education that the student |
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previously attended for the purpose of determining whether the |
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student has earned the credits required for an associate degree |
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awarded by the lower-division institution of higher education. On |
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receipt of a student's authorization under this subsection, the |
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general academic teaching institution shall release the student's |
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transcript to the lower-division institution of higher education. |
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(d) After receiving a student transcript from a general |
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academic teaching institution under Subsection (c), a |
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lower-division institution of higher education shall review the |
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transcript and, if the lower-division institution of higher |
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education determines the student has earned the credits required to |
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receive an associate degree awarded by the lower-division |
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institution of higher education, may award the student the degree. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a |
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student who not earlier than the 2011 fall semester transfers to or |
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otherwise initially enrolls in a general academic teaching |
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institution after attending a lower-division institution of higher |
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education. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |