BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 378

By: Oliverson

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that it is too difficult for some students graduating from high school in Texas to access employment data relating to different fields of study, which can lead to missed opportunities to focus higher education efforts on fields of study that would lead to immediate full-time employment upon graduation from college. H.B. 378 seeks to remedy this problem by requiring that online admission application forms for public institutions of higher education include a link to certain employment data relating to fields of study.

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. 378 amends the Education Code to require an electronic common admission application form adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or by the governing board of a university system for public institutions of higher education to include a prominent link to the Texas Consumer Resource for Education and Workforce Statistics ("Texas CREWS") report on gainful employment. The bill requires the coordinating board and the governing board of a university system to comply with the bill's provisions as soon as practicable following the bill's effective date but not later than January 1, 2018.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.