BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 251
86R2206 KJE-D	By: Bettencourt
	Education
	3/27/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 1004 (84R), required a public junior college within Harris County to enter into an agreement with each school district located in the county to offer one or more dual-credit courses. The student enrolled in a school district located in Harris County is allowed to enroll in a course at any junior college located in Harris County that has entered into an agreement with the district to offer the dual-credit courses.  Because of these expanded options, there has been a great increase in students taking dual credit courses.

S.B. 251 greatly expands educational opportunities for Texas high school students and encourages high school students to get an early start on their college degrees. This expands the availability of a dual credit courses statewide by not limiting students to taking dual credit solely the public junior college located in their school district region.

As proposed, S.B. 251 amends current law relating to courses offered jointly by public junior colleges and independent school districts.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 130.008, Education Code, by amending Subsection (g-1) and adding Subsections (g-2) and (g-3), as follows:

(g-1) Deletes existing text authorizing a student enrolled in a school district in a county with a population of more than three million to enroll in a course at any junior college that has entered into an agreement with the district to offer the course under this subsection.

(g-2) Authorizes a public junior college to enter into an agreement with any school district located in a county in which the service area of the junior college is wholly or partly located or in a county adjacent to a county in which the service area of the junior college is wholly or partly located to offer one or more courses as provided by this section.

(g-3) Authorizes a high school student enrolled in a school district to enroll in a course at any public junior college that has entered into an agreement with the district to offer the course under this section.

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2019 fall semester.

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.