BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 502

By: Seliger

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the transferability of academic course credit between public institutions of higher education. S.B. 502 seeks to provide better information to students and institutions regarding courses for which transfer credit is not accepted by requiring institutions to make a certain annual report to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

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

S.B. 502 amends the Education Code to require each general academic teaching institution and medical and dental unit, not later than December 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, to provide to the coordinating board a report:

· describing any courses for which a student who transfers to the institution from another public institution of higher education is not granted academic credit at the receiving institution; and

· indicating the course name and type, which institution of higher education provided academic credit for the course, and the reason why the receiving institution did not grant academic credit for the course.

The bill requires each institution and unit to submit the first report not later than December 1, 2020.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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