BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 502
	By: Seliger
	Higher Education
	6/3/2019
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, when a student enrolled in a public institution of higher education attempts to transfer academic course credit from one institution to the next institution, that course credit is not always accepted by the receiving institution.

S.B. 502 would better inform students and institutions of higher education around the state as to the reason a course credit was not accepted. Specifically, S.B. 502 requires credit receiving institutions to report the reason the institution did not grant academic credit for the course, the course name and type, and which institution provided the academic course credit. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 502 amends current law relating to requiring certain institutions of higher education to issue reports on the transferability of credit.

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 Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Sections 51.400 and 51.4033, and 51.4034 as follows:

Sec. 51.400. DEFINITIONS. Defines "coordinating board" as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and defines "general academic teaching institution," "institution of higher education" and "public junior college."

Sec. 51.4033. REPORT OF NONTRANSFERABLE CREDIT. (a) Requires each general academic teaching institution to provide to THECB and the legislature, not later than March 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by THECB, a report describing any courses in the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual or its successor adopted by THECB for which a student who transfers to the institution from another institution of higher education is not granted:

(1) academic credit at the receiving institution; or

(2) if the student has declared a major and has not changed majors, academic credit toward the student's major at the receiving institution.�

(b) Requires a report required by this section to indicate certain information.

Sec. 51.4034. REPORT OF COURSES TAKEN AT JUNIOR COLLEGES. Requires each public junior college, not later than March 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by THECB, to provide to THECB and the legislature a report on courses taken by students who, during the preceding academic year, transferred to a general academic teaching institution or earned an associate degree at the college.

(b) Requires a report required by this section to include the total number of:

(1) courses attempted and completed at the college, including the total number of semester credit hours for those courses, disaggregated by whether the course is in:

(A) the Workforce Education Course Manual or its successor adopted by THECB; or

(B) the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual or its successor adopted by THECB;

(2) courses attempted and completed at the college that are not in the recommended core curriculum developed by THECB under Section 61.822 (Transfer of Credits; Core Curriculum); and

(3) dual credit courses, including courses for joint high school and junior college credit under Section 130.008 (Courses For Joint High School and Junior College Credit), attempted and completed at the college.

SECTION 2. Requires each public institution of higher education required to submit a report under Section 51.4033 or 51.4034, Education Code, as added by this Act, to submit the first report not later than March 1, 2021.

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