By: Walle (Senate Sponsor - Powell) H.B. No. 3808
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2019;
  April 29, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
  Education; May 19, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;
  May 19, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3808 By:  Creighton
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the filing of a degree plan by students at public
  institutions of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.9685(a)(2), Education Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
               (2)  "Institution of higher education" has [and "public
  junior college" have] the meaning [meanings] assigned by Section
  61.003.
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.9685, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (b), (c), and (g) and adding Subsection (c-2)
  to read as follows:
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (c), each
  student enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program at an
  institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the
  institution before [not later than] the end of the [second regular]
  semester or term immediately following the semester or term in
  which the student earned a cumulative total of 30 [45] or more
  semester credit hours for coursework successfully completed by the
  student, including transfer courses, international baccalaureate
  courses, dual credit courses, and any other course for which the
  institution the student attends has awarded the student college
  course credit, including course credit awarded by examination.
         (c)  A student to whom Subsection (b) [this section] applies
  who begins the student's first semester or term at an institution of
  higher education with 30 [45] or more semester credit hours of
  course credit for courses described by Subsection (b) shall file a
  degree plan with the institution before [not later than] the end of
  that [the student's second regular] semester or term [at the
  institution].
         (c-2)  A student enrolled in a dual credit course at an
  institution of higher education and to whom Subsection (b) does not
  apply shall file a degree plan with the institution not later than:
               (1)  the end of the second regular semester or term
  immediately following the semester or term in which the student
  earned a cumulative total of 15 or more semester credit hours of
  course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the
  student; or
               (2)  if the student begins the student's first semester
  or term at the institution with 15 or more semester credit hours of
  course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the
  student, the end of the student's second regular semester or term at
  the institution.
         (g)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in
  consultation with institutions of higher education, shall [may]
  adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section,
  including rules to ensure compliance with this section.  In
  adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the
  negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government
  Code.
         SECTION 3.  Section 130.0104(c), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  In complying with the requirements regarding the filing
  of a degree plan under [Notwithstanding] Section 51.9685, [before
  the beginning of the regular semester or term immediately following
  the semester or term in which] a student enrolled [successfully
  completes a cumulative total of 30 or more semester credit hours for
  coursework] in a multidisciplinary studies associate degree
  program established under this section [, the student] must meet
  with an academic advisor to complete a degree plan [, as defined by
  Section 51.9685(a)(1),] that:
               (1)  accounts for all remaining credit hours required
  for the completion of the degree program; and
               (2)  emphasizes:
                     (A)  the student's transition to a particular
  four-year college or university that the student chooses; and
                     (B)  preparations for the student's intended
  field of study or major at the four-year college or university.
         SECTION 4.  Section 51.9685(c-1), Education Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 5.  This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
  academic year.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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