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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the filing of a degree plan by students at public |
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institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.9685(a)(2), Education Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" has [and "public
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junior college" have] the meaning [meanings] assigned by Section |
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61.003. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.9685, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b), (c), and (g) and adding Subsection (c-2) |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (c), each |
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student enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program at an |
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institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the |
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institution before [not later than] the end of the [second regular] |
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semester or term immediately following the semester or term in |
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which the student earned a cumulative total of 30 [45] or more |
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semester credit hours for coursework successfully completed by the |
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student, including transfer courses, international baccalaureate |
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courses, dual credit courses, and any other course for which the |
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institution the student attends has awarded the student college |
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course credit, including course credit awarded by examination. |
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(c) A student to whom Subsection (b) [this section] applies |
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who begins the student's first semester or term at an institution of |
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higher education with 30 [45] or more semester credit hours of |
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course credit for courses described by Subsection (b) shall file a |
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degree plan with the institution before [not later than] the end of |
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that [the student's second regular] semester or term [at the
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institution]. |
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(c-2) A student enrolled in a dual credit course at an |
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institution of higher education and to whom Subsection (b) does not |
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apply shall file a degree plan with the institution not later than: |
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(1) the end of the second regular semester or term |
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immediately following the semester or term in which the student |
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earned a cumulative total of 15 or more semester credit hours of |
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course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the |
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student; or |
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(2) if the student begins the student's first semester |
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or term at the institution with 15 or more semester credit hours of |
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course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the |
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student, the end of the student's second regular semester or term at |
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the institution. |
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(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in |
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consultation with institutions of higher education, shall [may] |
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adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section, |
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including rules to ensure compliance with this section. In |
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adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the |
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negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 3. Section 130.0104(c), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) In complying with the requirements regarding the filing |
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of a degree plan under [Notwithstanding] Section 51.9685, [before
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the beginning of the regular semester or term immediately following
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the semester or term in which] a student enrolled [successfully
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completes a cumulative total of 30 or more semester credit hours for
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coursework] in a multidisciplinary studies associate degree |
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program established under this section [, the student] must meet |
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with an academic advisor to complete a degree plan [, as defined by
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Section 51.9685(a)(1),] that: |
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(1) accounts for all remaining credit hours required |
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for the completion of the degree program; and |
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(2) emphasizes: |
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(A) the student's transition to a particular |
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four-year college or university that the student chooses; and |
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(B) preparations for the student's intended |
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field of study or major at the four-year college or university. |
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SECTION 4. Section 51.9685(c-1), Education Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 |
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academic year. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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* * * * * |