BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 2994
85R30871 KSD-F	By: Ashby et al. (Hinojosa)
	Higher Education
	5/16/2017
	Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Interested parties contend that certain legislative direction is insufficient as it pertains to workforce continuing education courses offered at public junior colleges and with regard to how the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board should treat minors enrolled in these courses for the reimbursement of contact hours. H.B. 2994 seeks to provide further direction with regard to workforce continuing education offered by public junior colleges. (Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

 

H.B. 2994 amends current law relating to workforce continuing education offered by public junior colleges.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 130.305, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 130, Education Code, by adding Subchapter L, as follows:

 

SUBCHAPTER L. WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION

 

Sec. 130.301. DEFINITIONS. Defines "adult," "avocational course," "coordinating board," "workforce continuing education," and "workforce continuing education course."

 

Sec. 130.302. FORMULA FUNDING FOR WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. Requires that contact hours attributable to the enrollment of a student in a workforce continuing education course offered by a public junior college, notwithstanding Section 130.003 (State Appropriation for Public Junior Colleges) or any other law, be included in the contact hours used to determine the college's proportionate share of state money appropriated and distributed to public junior colleges under Sections 130.003 and 130.0031 (Transfers: When Made), regardless of whether the college waives all or part of the tuition or fees for the course under Section 130.304.

 

Sec. 130.303. WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. (a) Authorizes a public junior college to offer, or to enter into an agreement with a school district, organization, or other person that operates a high school to offer, workforce continuing education courses other than learning framework courses, basic employability courses, and basic learning skills courses to a person who:

 

(1) is enrolled in high school on the completion of the person's sophomore year;

 

(2) is enrolled in a school that is not formally organized as a high school and is at least 16 years of age; or

 

(3) is attending high school while incarcerated, is at least 16 years of age, and is not eligible for release from incarceration before the person's 18th birthday.

 

(b) Provides that this section does not prohibit a public junior college from offering community interest continuing education courses using local funds.

 

Sec. 130.304. WAIVER OF TUITION AND FEES FOR WORKFORCE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES. Authorizes a public junior college to waive all or part of the tuition or fees charged to a student for a workforce continuing education course.

 

Sec. 130.305. RULES. Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to adopt any rules THECB considers necessary for the administration of this subchapter. Requires THECB, in adopting those rules, to use the negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008 (Negotiated Rulemaking), Government Code.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.