84R17115 KSD-F
 
  By: Wu, Morrison, Alvarado, King of Hemphill, H.B. No. 298
      McClendon, et al.
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to measures to facilitate the transfer, academic progress,
  and timely graduation of students in public higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 51.96852 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.96852.  TRANSFER OF CREDIT FROM LOWER-DIVISION
  INSTITUTIONS; ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Articulation agreement" means a formal written
  agreement between a public junior college and a general academic
  teaching institution identifying courses offered by the public
  junior college that must be accepted for credit toward specific
  course requirements at the general academic teaching institution.
               (2)  "Lower-division institution of higher education"
  means a public junior college, public state college, or public
  technical institute.
               (3)  "Public junior college" and "general academic
  teaching institution" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
         (b)  Each general academic teaching institution shall:
               (1)  publish on the institution's Internet website for
  use by prospective undergraduate students a detailed description
  developed by the institution's faculty of the learning objectives,
  content, and prior knowledge requirements for at least 12 courses
  offered by the institution for which credit is frequently
  transferred to the institution from lower-division institutions of
  higher education;
               (2)  identify the public junior colleges from which the
  general academic teaching institution regularly receives transfer
  students; and
               (3)  establish, for at least five degree plans for
  which credit is frequently transferred to the institution from
  lower-division institutions of higher education, articulation
  agreements with each public junior college from which the general
  academic teaching institution has received an average of at least
  five percent of the institution's transfer students in the three
  preceding academic years.
         (c)  A general academic teaching institution's participation
  in an articulation agreement under this section does not affect the
  institution's admissions policies.
         (d)  In consultation with general academic teaching
  institutions and public junior colleges, the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board, using the negotiated rulemaking procedures
  under Chapter 2008, Government Code, shall adopt any rules the
  coordinating board considers necessary for the administration of
  this section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.0515, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  To earn a baccalaureate degree, a student may not be
  required by a general academic teaching institution to complete
  more than the minimum number of semester credit hours required for
  the degree by the institution's board-recognized accrediting
  agency [Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or its
  successor] unless the institution determines that there is a
  compelling academic reason for requiring completion of additional
  semester credit hours for the degree.
         (d)  The board shall adopt any rules the board considers
  necessary for the administration of this section.  In adopting
  rules under this subsection, the board shall use the negotiated
  rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government Code.
         SECTION 3.  Section 61.05151, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  To earn an associate degree, a student may not be
  required by an institution of higher education to complete more
  than the minimum number of semester credit hours required for the
  degree by the institution's board-recognized accrediting agency
  [Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or its successor]
  unless the institution determines that there is a compelling
  academic reason for requiring completion of additional semester
  credit hours for the degree.
         (d)  The board shall adopt any rules the board considers
  necessary for the administration of this section.  In adopting
  rules under this subsection, the board shall use the negotiated
  rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government Code.
         SECTION 4.  Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a-1) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
  follows:
         (a-1)  The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
  composed of representatives of institutions of higher education,
  shall develop a recommended core curriculum of at least 42 semester
  credit hours, including a statement of the content, component
  areas, and objectives of the core curriculum. Administrators of an
  institution of higher education may serve as representatives of the
  institution on any advisory committee under this section.  At least
  a majority of the members of any advisory committee named under this
  section shall be faculty members of an institution of higher
  education. An institution shall consult with the faculty of the
  institution before nominating or recommending a person to the board
  as the institution's representative on an advisory committee.
         (f)  In an effort to facilitate the transfer of major-related
  coursework beyond the general education core curriculum, the board,
  with the assistance of the advisory committees described by
  Subsection (a-1), shall:
               (1)  develop a course-specific core curriculum for each
  broad academic discipline within the general core curriculum; and
               (2)  identify those degree programs offered at
  institutions of higher education to which the course-specific core
  curriculum, if successfully completed by a student at another
  institution of higher education, is fully transferable.
         SECTION 5.  Not later than May 31, 2017, each general
  academic teaching institution shall publish on the institution's
  Internet website the information required by Section 51.96852,
  Education Code, as added by this Act, and establish articulation
  agreements in accordance with that section.
         SECTION 6.  The changes in law made by this Act to Sections
  61.0515(a) and 61.05151(a), Education Code, apply beginning with
  undergraduate students who initially enroll in an institution of
  higher education for the 2017 fall semester. An undergraduate
  student who initially enrolls in an institution of higher education
  before that semester is covered by the law in effect before the
  effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
  that purpose.
         SECTION 7.  Not later than May 31, 2017, the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board shall develop core curricula for broad
  academic disciplines included within the general core curriculum
  that conform to the requirements of Section 61.822, Education Code,
  as amended by this Act.
         SECTION 8.  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, 2015.