BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 973

By: Roberts

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that baccalaureate degree programs in the field of applied technology should be more accessible. H.B. 973 seeks to authorize certain public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs in the field of applied technology.

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. 973 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to authorize a public junior college with a service area located wholly or partly in a county with a population of more than three million to offer a baccalaureate degree program in the field of applied technology. The bill authorizes such a degree program to be offered under an articulation agreement with an early college education program located in the service area of the public junior college and limits funding of the degree program to a public junior college's proportionate share of applicable state appropriations, local funds, and private sources. The bill expressly does not require the legislature to appropriate state funds to support an applicable degree program.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.