BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1845

By: Campbell

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties raise concerns about the confusion among Texas universities and colleges over the course credit that may be awarded to veterans based on their military service. S.B. 1845 seeks to address these concerns by providing for the development of transferable degree or certificate program curricula for which qualified veterans or military service members may be awarded course credit based on military service.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1845 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in consultation with the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, and public institutions of higher education and for the purpose of promoting the purposes of the college credit for heroes program, to develop standardized curricula within degree and certificate programs commonly offered by institutions of higher education toward which qualified veterans or military service members may be awarded appropriate academic credit for experience, education, and training earned during military service and to require the transferability between institutions of higher education of course credit for curricula developed that is awarded to qualified veterans or military service members. The bill requires the coordinating board to adopt rules for the administration of these requirements and to adopt the initial rules required by the bill not later than May 1, 2018.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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