BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4173

By: Howard

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to interested parties, current education law conflicts with certain accreditation rules with regard to the publication of the factors considered for admission to a new graduate and professional program. This conflict creates a compliance problem for new graduate programs and recently came to light in planning for the opening of medical schools at The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. H.B. 4173 seeks to resolve the conflict.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 4173 amends the Education Code to authorize a general academic teaching institution or medical or dental unit, if compliance with requirements of an accrediting agency effectively prevents the institution from timely publishing the factors the institution must consider in admissions decisions for graduate and professional programs, to delay publication of the factors. The bill requires the institution in such a case to publish the factors as soon as practicable when compliance with accrediting agency requirements permits.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.