BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3003

By: Talarico

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that the availability of resources to assist undergraduate students who are parents has not kept pace with the increasing proportion of such students. H.B. 3003 seeks to address this issue by requiring each public institution of higher education and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to designate at least one liaison officer to assist certain students who are parents.

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 SECTIONS 1 and 3 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3003 amends the Education Code to require each public institution of higher education to designate at least one employee of the institution to act as a liaison officer for current or incoming students at the institution who are the parent or guardian of a child younger than 18 years of age. The bill requires the liaison officer to provide to the students information regarding support services and other resources available to the students at the institution.

H.B. 3003 requires an institution, not later than May 1 of each academic year, to submit to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board a report that contains specified information regarding the applicable students enrolled at the institution for the current academic year, including demographic data, academic data, and other data as prescribed by coordinating board rule. The bill requires the coordinating board to adopt rules to implement and administer the bill's provisions regarding institution-designated liaison officers and reporting requirements, including rules to ensure compliance with federal law regarding confidentiality of student medical or educational information and any state law relating to the privacy of student information.

H.B. 3003 requires the coordinating board to designate at least one employee of the board to act as a liaison officer for current or incoming students at institutions of higher education who are the parent or guardian of a child younger than 18 years of age. The bill requires the liaison officer to assist in coordinating college readiness and student success efforts relating to those students. The bill requires the coordinating board to adopt rules to implement the bill's provisions as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date. The bill applies beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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