By: Taylor, Blanco S.B. No. 1230

Creighton

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to establishing the Texas Commission on Community College Finance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 130.1305 to read as follows:

Sec. 130.1305. TEXAS COMMISSION ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE FINANCE. (a) The Texas Commission on Community College Finance is established to make recommendations for consideration by the 88th Texas Legislature regarding the state funding formula and funding levels for public junior colleges in Texas that would be sufficient to sustain viable junior college education and training offerings throughout the state and improve student outcomes in alignment with state postsecondary goals.

(b) The commission is composed of 12 members as follows:

(1) four members appointed by the governor;

(2) three members appointed by the lieutenant governor;

(3) three members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(4) one member appointed by the board of the Texas Association of Community Colleges; and

(5) one member appointed by the board of the Community College Association of Texas Trustees.

(c) One of the members appointed by the governor must be a faculty member at a public junior college as defined by Section 61.003, and the other members appointed by the governor must be representatives of junior college leaders, business leaders, or other stakeholders knowledgeable in junior college mission, instructional programs, and finance.

(d) Members appointed by the lieutenant governor shall consist of:

(1) two members of the senate; and

(2) an administrator from a public junior college as defined by Section 61.003.

(e) Members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives shall consist of:

(1) two members of the house of representatives; and

(2) an administrator from a public junior college as defined by Section 61.003.

(f) In making appointments, the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives shall coordinate to ensure that the membership of the commission reflects, to the extent possible, the geographic diversity of Texas public junior colleges and the ethnic diversity of the communities served by those junior colleges.

(g) The commission shall convene not later than October 15, 2021, and shall continue its activities until completion of a final report.

(h) The commission shall examine trend and forecast data, seek stakeholder input, and account for equity in student outcomes and based on its findings, make recommendations on:

(1) the components of state funding for public junior colleges, including contact hour funding formulas established for public junior colleges under Subchapter C, Chapter 61, and Subchapter A of this chapter; and

(2) the feasibility of establishing shared service agreements or interinstitutional collaborations through which institutions of higher education may perform administrative services, other than direct instruction and student support services, for other institutions of higher education for a fee or other consideration.

(i) The commission may seek resource support, including data analyses and technical assistance, from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Association of Community Colleges, and research organizations. The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source to be used to carry out a function of the commission.

(j) The commission shall submit a final report and recommendations to the governor, lieutenant governor, and both houses of the legislature not later than November 1, 2022.

(k) This section expires January 1, 2023.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.