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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer |
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baccalaureate degree programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (b), and (e) and adding Subsections |
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(b-4), (b-5), (b-6), and (g-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may |
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[shall] authorize public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate |
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degree programs in the fields of applied science, [and] applied |
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technology, and nursing under this section. Offering a |
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baccalaureate degree program under this section does not otherwise |
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alter the role and mission of a public junior college. |
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(b) The coordinating board: |
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(1) shall authorize baccalaureate degree programs at |
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each public junior college that previously participated in a pilot |
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project to offer baccalaureate degree programs; and |
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(2) may authorize baccalaureate degree programs at one |
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or more public junior colleges that offer a degree program in the |
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field of nursing and have demonstrated a workforce need. |
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(b-4) The coordinating board shall establish a pilot |
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project to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of authorizing |
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not more than two baccalaureate degree programs, one in the field of |
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applied science or applied technology, and one in the field of |
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nursing at a public junior college with a main campus located on a |
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barrier island and at a public junior college with not more than |
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three main campuses located in a county with a population greater |
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than 3.3 million. |
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(b-5) Not later than January 1, 2019, the coordinating board |
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shall prepare a progress report on the pilot project established |
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under Subsection (b-4). Not later than January 1, 2021, the |
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coordinating board shall prepare a report on the effectiveness of |
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the pilot project, including any recommendations for legislative |
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action regarding the offering of baccalaureate degree programs in |
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the fields of applied science, applied technology, and nursing by a |
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public junior college. The coordinating board shall deliver a copy |
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of each report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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speaker of the house of representatives, and the chair of the |
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standing committee of each house of the legislature with primary |
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jurisdiction over higher education. Unless the authority to |
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continue offering a baccalaureate degree program in the fields of |
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applied science, applied technology, and nursing is continued by |
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the legislature, a public junior college may not: |
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(1) enroll a new student in a baccalaureate degree |
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program under the pilot project after the 2022 fall semester; |
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(2) offer junior-level or senior-level courses for |
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those degree programs after the 2025 fall semester, unless the |
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coordinating board authorizes the college to offer those courses; |
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or |
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(3) award a baccalaureate degree under the pilot |
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project after the 2025 fall semester, unless the coordinating board |
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approves the awarding of the degree. |
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(b-6) This subsection and Subsections (b-4) and (b-5) |
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expire on the first December 31 following the first regular |
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legislative session that occurs after the sixth anniversary of the |
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date a public junior college offering a degree program in the fields |
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of applied science, applied technology, and nursing under |
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Subsection (b-4) meets the accreditation requirements of |
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Subsection (c). |
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(e) In determining what baccalaureate degree programs are |
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to be offered, the coordinating board shall consider the following |
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factors: |
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(1) the workforce need for the degree programs in the |
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region served by the junior college; |
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(2) how those degree programs would complement the |
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other programs and course offerings of the junior college and |
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whether the associate degree program offered by the junior college |
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in the same field has been successful; |
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(3) whether those degree programs would unnecessarily |
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duplicate the degree programs offered by other institutions of |
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higher education or whether a partnership with other institutions |
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of higher education is possible; [and] |
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(4) the ability of the junior college to support the |
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program with student enrollment and the adequacy of the junior |
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college's facilities, faculty, administration, libraries, and |
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other resources; and |
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(5) whether the junior college meets the taxable |
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property valuation amount established in Section 130.032. |
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(g-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (g), a degree program |
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established under Subsection (b-4) may be funded solely by a public |
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junior college's proportionate share of state appropriations under |
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Section 130.003, local funds, and private sources. This subsection |
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expires January 1, 2022. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |