H.B. No. 2000
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the qualification of certain nonprofit schools and
  educational institutions for exemption from state laws regulating
  career schools and colleges and to complaints made against those
  entities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 132.002, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (d-1), (h), (i), (j), and (k) to read as follows:
         (d-1)  A school or educational institution exempted from
  this chapter is authorized to offer training in this state allowed
  by the exemption.
         (h)  A school or educational institution that participates
  or intends to participate in student financial aid programs under
  Title IV, Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 1070 et
  seq.), may not be exempted from this chapter by the commission on
  the basis of Subsection (a)(2) unless the school or institution
  demonstrates to the commission that:
               (1)  either:
                     (A)  the school or institution is accredited by a
  regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the
  United States secretary of education; or
                     (B)  the school or institution, or the primary
  campus of the school or institution, has been operating
  continuously in this state for at least 20 years in compliance with
  state career school regulatory requirements, regardless of the
  amount of time the current owner has owned the school or
  institution; or
               (2)  the school or institution:
                     (A)  is owned, controlled, operated, and
  maintained by a religious organization lawfully operating as a
  nonprofit religious corporation; and
                     (B)  awards only degrees or certificates relating
  to religion, including a certificate of Talmudic studies, an
  associate of biblical studies degree, a master of divinity degree,
  or a doctor of divinity degree.
         (i)  For purposes of Subsection (h)(1)(B), "primary campus"
  means, for two or more schools or educational institutions that are
  owned and operated by the same owner, the school or educational
  institution designated by the owner as the main or principal
  campus.
         (j)  A school or educational institution may demonstrate
  compliance with Subsection (h):
               (1)  through the application process under Subsection
  (d); or
               (2)  if the school or institution has previously been
  granted an exemption from this chapter and the most recent
  exemption was granted before June 30, 2013, by an affidavit
  submitted to the commission by the owner of the school or
  institution.
         (k)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
  take appropriate action, including by making appropriate referrals
  to an accrediting agency or to the attorney general, to address any
  complaint received by the coordinating board from a student or
  prospective student of a school or institution to which Subsection
  (h) applies that is:
               (1)  exempted from this chapter on the basis of
  Subsection (a)(2); and
               (2)  subject to regulation by the coordinating board.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2013.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2000 was passed by the House on May 2,
  2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 2, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 2000 on May 24, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 3,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2000 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 22, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor