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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing the Texas Commission on Community College |
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Finance. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 130, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 130.1305 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 130.1305. TEXAS COMMISSION ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE |
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FINANCE. (a) The Texas Commission on Community College Finance is |
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established to make recommendations for consideration by the 88th |
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Texas Legislature regarding the state funding formula and funding |
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levels for public junior colleges in Texas that would be sufficient |
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to sustain viable junior college education and training offerings |
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throughout the state. |
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(b) The commission is composed of 11 members as follows: |
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(1) three members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) three members appointed by the lieutenant |
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governor; |
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(3) three members appointed by the speaker of the |
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house of representatives; |
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(4) one member appointed by the board of the Texas |
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Association of Community Colleges; and |
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(5) one member appointed by the board of the Community |
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College Association of Texas Trustees. |
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(c) Members appointed by the governor must be |
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representatives of junior college leaders, business leaders, or |
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other stakeholders knowledgeable in junior college mission, |
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instructional programs, and finance. |
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(d) Members appointed by the lieutenant governor shall |
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consist of: |
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(1) two members of the Texas Senate; and |
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(2) an administrator from an institution of higher |
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education as defined by Section 61.003. |
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(e) Members appointed by the speaker of the house shall |
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consist of: |
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(1) two members of the house of representatives; and |
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(2) an administrator from an institution of higher |
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education as defined by Section 61.003. |
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(f) In making appointments, the governor, lieutenant |
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governor, and speaker of the house of representatives shall |
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coordinate to ensure that the membership of the commission |
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reflects, to the extent possible, the geographic diversity of Texas |
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public junior colleges and the ethnic diversity of the communities |
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served by those junior colleges. |
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(g) The commission shall convene not later than the 90th day |
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after the enactment of this section by the legislature and shall |
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continue its activities until completion of a final report. |
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(h) The commission shall examine trend and forecast data, |
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seek stakeholder input, and account for equity in student outcomes, |
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with a particular focus on students who are underrepresented in |
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higher education, including from families in the bottom quintiles |
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of the economic spectrum, and make recommendations on the following |
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policies: |
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(1) contact hour funding formulas established for |
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public junior colleges under Subchapter C, Chapter 61, and |
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Subchapter A of this chapter; |
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(2) the use of student success points established |
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under Section 61.0593 to determine the allocation of state funding |
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to public junior colleges; |
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(3) historical or innovative funding methods for |
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supporting underfunded colleges; |
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(4) revenue source proportionality in the payment of |
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employee group insurance benefits; and |
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(5) the feasibility of establishing shared service |
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agreements or interinstitutional collaboratives where institutions |
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of higher education perform administrative services, other than |
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direct instruction and student support services, for other |
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institutions of higher education for a fee or other consideration. |
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(i) The commission may seek resource support, including |
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data analyses and technical assistance, from the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Association of Community |
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Colleges, and research organizations. The commission may accept |
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gifts, grants, and donations from any source to be used to carry out |
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a function of the commission. |
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(j) The commission shall submit a final report and |
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recommendations to the governor, lieutenant governor, and both |
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houses of the legislature not later than November 1, 2022. |
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(k) This section expires January 1, 2023. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2021. |