BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 832

By: Clardy

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that the pilot program examining the feasibility and effectiveness of authorizing a baccalaureate degree program in the field of dental hygiene at a certain public junior college has been beneficial for students, the junior college, and the community it serves. H.B. 832 seeks to end the pilot program before its scheduled review and establish the dental hygiene program as a fully-fledged, state-funded program.

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. 832 amends the Education Code to replace the requirement that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board establish a pilot project to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of authorizing baccalaureate degree programs in the field of dental hygiene at certain public junior colleges with a requirement that the coordinating board authorize such degree programs at those colleges. The bill repeals a provision that sets an expiration date for the statutory provisions relating to such programs. The bill includes junior-level and senior-level courses offered under the programs among those for which the coordinating board is required to recommend, in its recommendations to the legislature relating to state funding for public junior colleges, that a public junior college receive substantially the same state support as that provided to a general academic teaching institution for substantially similar courses. The bill's provisions apply beginning with the coordinating board's funding recommendations made for the
2020-2021 state fiscal biennium.

H.B. 832 repeals Sections 130.0012(b-2) and (b-3), Education Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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