BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 828
86R2207 KEL-D	By: Seliger
	Higher Education
	3/13/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

There have been calls to change the name of the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf due to the negative connotation that the signed translation of "institute" may have for the deaf population. It has been noted that this connotation may obscure the mission and purpose of the institution. S.B. 828 seeks to remedy this situation by changing the name of the institution to the Southwest College for the Deaf.

As proposed, S.B. 828 amends current law relating to the name of the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf.

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 Chapter 131, Education Code, as follows:

New heading: CHAPTER 131. SOUTHWEST COLLEGE FOR THE DEAF

Sec. 131.001. New heading: SOUTHWEST COLLEGE FOR THE DEAF. Provides that the Southwest College for the Deaf, rather than the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf, is a postsecondary educational institution providing instruction for hearing‑impaired students preparing for a career or for enrollment in a senior college or university.

Sec. 131.002. ADMINISTRATION. (a) Provides that the college, rather than the institute, is under the direct control and management of the board of trustees of the Howard Junior College District (governing board).

(b) Requires the college, rather than the institute, and its programs to be administered by personnel who are trained and qualified to work with hearing‑impaired students and are fluent in manual communication skills.

Sec. 131.003. LOCATION. Provides that the college, rather than the institute, is located on land deeded to the governing board by the federal Department of Education for the purpose of operating the college, rather than the institution. Prohibits the governing board from conducting regular junior college programs for students with unimpaired hearing on the college, rather than the institute, campus except as an integral part of the program offered to hearing‑impaired students in certain circumstances.

Sec. 131.004. COURSES, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES. (a) Provides that the college, rather than the institute, is required to offer, but is not limited to offering, certain specified courses, programs, and services for hearing‑impaired post‑secondary students.

(b) Requires the course work offered by the college, rather than the institute, to emphasize self‑contained classrooms with instruction conducted by instructors who are trained and qualified to work with hearing‑impaired students and are fluent in manual communication skills.

(c) Requires the programs, services, and facilities of the college, rather than the institute, to be designed to be appropriate to the needs of hearing‑impaired students.

(d) Requires the executive director to determine which courses offered by the college, rather than the institute, are appropriate for an electronic display on a screen or terminal, with less than 30 seconds delay, of a speaker's spoken message. Requires the college, rather than the institute, to implement the electronic display in those courses.

Sec. 131.005. TUITION. (a) Provides that a Texas resident student enrolled in the college, rather than the institute, is exempt from tuition fees under Section 54.364 (Blind, Deaf Students).

(b) Requires a student who is not a resident of Texas to pay tuition at a rate that is the lesser of:

(1) makes no changes to this subdivision; or

(2) a rate determined by the board of trustees and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, rather than the Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System, to be the approximate cost to the college, rather than the institute, not including room and board, of educating a student during the academic year beginning the next fall.

Sec. 131.006. APPROPRIATIONS; GRANTS. (a) Authorizes the governing board of the college, rather than the institute, to receive appropriations for the college's operations, rather than the institute's operations, only if the board operates the college, rather than the institute, in compliance with this chapter.

(b) Authorizes the board to accept gifts, grants, or donations of money or property given to the college, rather than the institute, for the college's exclusive use, rather than the institute's exclusive use, in carrying out the purposes of this subchapter.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 51.911(a)(1), Education Code, as follows:

(1) Provides that "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003 (Definitions), rather than Subdivision (7) (relating to defining "public technical institute") of Section 61.003, of this code, except that the term includes the Southwest College for the Deaf, rather than the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf, and the Texas State Technical College System, rather than Texas State Technical Institute.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 51.925(b), Education Code, as follows:

(b) Provides that "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, rather than Subdivision (7) of Section 61.003, of this code, except that the term includes the Southwest College for the Deaf, rather than the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf, and the Texas State Technical College System, rather than the Texas State Technical Institute.

SECTION 4. Amends Section 54.364(a)(5), Education Code, as follows:

(5) Provides that "institution of higher education" has the meaning� assigned by Section 61.003, except that the term includes the Southwest College for the Deaf, rather than the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf.

SECTION 5. Amends Section 31.001(8), Natural Resources Code, as follows:

(8) Provides that "institution of higher education" means the Texas State Technical College System, the Southwest College for the Deaf, rather than the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf, or an institute of higher education, excluding a public junior college, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code.

SECTION 6. (a) Provides that the name of the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf is changed to the Southwest College for the Deaf.

(b) Provides that a reference in law to the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf means the Southwest College for the Deaf.

(c) Provides that an appropriation for the use or benefit of the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf is available for the use and benefit of the Southwest College for the Deaf.

SECTION 7. Effective date: September 1, 2019.