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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer |
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baccalaureate degree programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (k) and (l) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may |
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[shall] authorize public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate |
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degree programs in the fields of applied science, [and] applied |
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technology, and dental hygiene under this section. Offering a |
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baccalaureate degree program under this section does not otherwise |
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alter the role and mission of a public junior college. |
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(b) The coordinating board shall authorize baccalaureate |
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degree programs at: |
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(1) each public junior college that previously |
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participated in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate degree |
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programs; and |
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(2) one or more public junior colleges that offer a |
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degree program in the field of dental hygiene if, at the time the |
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degree is initially offered, the public junior college: |
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(A) has a main campus located in the county seat |
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of a county with a population greater than 200,000; and |
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(B) includes territory in at least six public |
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school districts located in two counties. |
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(k) The coordinating board shall adopt rules as necessary |
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for the administration of this section. |
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(l) In this section, "general academic teaching |
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institution" and "institution of higher education" have the |
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meanings assigned by Section 61.003. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2015. |