BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 277

By: Oliverson

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised that Texas high school students applying to college may be unaware of job market conditions and thus miss opportunities to focus their efforts in fields of study that would lead to full-time employment upon graduation. H.B. 277 seeks to address this problem by requiring electronic common admission application forms for public institutions of higher education to link to certain comparative gainful employment data.

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. 277 amends the Education Code to require an electronic common admission application form adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or by the governing board of a university system to include a prominent link to comparative gainful employment data regarding institutions of higher education, including certain information prepared by the Texas Education Agency, on a website maintained by the coordinating board or the governing board, as applicable, using data compiled by the applicable board in coordination with the Texas Workforce Commission. The bill requires the coordinating board and the governing board of a university system to comply with the bill's provisions not later than January 1, 2020.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.