By: Creighton, Zaffirini  S.B. No. 1490
         (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2021; March 24, 2021, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
  April 6, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 14, 2021,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1490 By:  Taylor
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the authority of the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board to authorize certain degree programs offered by
  private postsecondary educational institutions.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 61.303, Education Code, as amended by
  S.B. 1781, Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is
  amended by reenacting and amending Subsection (c) and adding
  Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
         (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (c-1), the [The] board
  may approve the issuance of a certificate of authorization to grant
  degrees [issue] to an exempt institution or person [a certificate
  of authorization to grant degrees]. The board may adopt rules
  regarding a process to allow an exempt institution or person to
  apply [for] and receive approval for a certificate of authorization
  under this section.
         (c-1)  The board may not approve the issuance of a
  certificate of authorization for an exempt institution to grant a
  professional degree or to represent that credits earned in this
  state are applicable toward a professional degree if the
  institution is chartered in another state or has its principal
  office or primary educational program in another state unless the
  institution is an authorized institution operating under a State
  Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). In this subsection,
  "professional degree" includes Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of
  Osteopathy (D.O.), Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), Doctor of
  Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Juris Doctor (J.D.), and Bachelor of
  Laws (LL.B.).
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.306, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (c-1) and
  (d) to read as follows:
         (a)  Subject to Subsections (c) and (c-1), the [The] board
  may issue a certificate of authority to grant a degree or degrees
  and to enroll students for courses which may be applicable toward a
  degree if it finds that the applicant meets the standards
  established by the board for certification.
         (c)  The board may not issue a certificate of authority for a
  private postsecondary educational institution to grant a
  professional degree or to represent that credits earned in this
  state are applicable toward a professional degree if the
  institution is chartered in a foreign country or has its principal
  office or primary educational program in a foreign country.
         (c-1)  The board may issue a certificate of authority for a
  private postsecondary educational institution to grant a
  professional degree or to represent that credits earned in this
  state are applicable toward a professional degree only if the board
  determines that:
               (1)  the capacity and ability of similar professional
  degree programs at institutions of higher education and private or
  independent institutions of higher education are insufficient to
  meet the state's current market needs;
               (2)  the institution seeking the certificate of
  authority:
                     (A)  has the necessary faculty and other resources
  to ensure student success; and 
                     (B)  is subject to and agrees to meet the same
  standards for approval and all academic criteria applicable to
  similar professional degree programs offered by institutions of
  higher education and private or independent institutions of higher
  education; and
               (3)  sufficient placements are available to students
  for required field-based experience, such as clinicals or
  clerkships, for the proposed professional degree.
         (d)  In this section:
               (1)  "Institution of higher education" and "private or
  independent institution of higher education" have the meanings
  assigned by Section 61.003.
               (2)  "Professional [subsection, "professional] degree"
  includes a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.),
  Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
  (D.V.M.), Juris Doctor (J.D.), and Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.).
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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