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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board of a repository of student transcripts for certain private |
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postsecondary educational institutions; authorizing fees and |
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providing administrative penalties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.315, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.315. AGENTS AND RECORDS; TRANSCRIPT REPOSITORY FOR |
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CERTAIN CLOSED INSTITUTIONS AND RELATED FEES. (a) The authorized |
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or certified institutions may be required to furnish a list of their |
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agents to the board, and to maintain records of students enrolled, |
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credits awarded, and degrees awarded in a manner specified by the |
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board. |
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(b) The board shall maintain a repository for student |
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transcripts from closed institutions that were issued a certificate |
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of authority under Section 61.306 or a certificate of authorization |
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under Section 61.303. The board may charge a fee to students |
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requesting transcript copies maintained in the repository, not to |
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exceed the cost of retrieving, reproducing, and sending the |
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transcript copies. |
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(c) An institution that was issued a certificate of |
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authority under Section 61.306 or a certificate of authorization |
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under Section 61.303 shall provide its student transcript records |
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to the board in the format specified by the board for inclusion in |
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the repository at least biennially and on or immediately before the |
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date of closing. |
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(d) The board may adopt rules for the administration of this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.316, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e-2) to read as follows: |
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(e-2) Any institution that was issued a certificate of |
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authority under Section 61.306 or a certificate of authorization |
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under Section 61.303 that fails to provide student transcript |
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records to the board as required under Section 61.315 shall be |
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assessed an administrative penalty of not less than $100 or more |
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than $500 for each student whose transcript was not provided. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |