Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee On Higher Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB30 by Branch (Relating to measures to facilitate the transfer of students within the public higher education system and the timely graduation of students from public institutions of higher education.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in collaboration with institutions of higher education or qualified degree-granting career schools or colleges, to develop transfer compacts that identify learning objectives for coursework in major degree fields that are acceptable across institutions. A general academic teaching institution designated as a research institution that elects not to participate in an applicable transfer compact would be required to publish a detailed description of at least 12 courses for which credit is frequently transferred to the institutions and establish honors articulation agreements with at least two public junior colleges.
The bill includes a provision whereby students may not be required by an institution of higher education to complete more than the minimum number of semester credit hours required by the institution's board-recognized accrediting agency or professional licensure requirements to earn a baccalaureate or associate degree. This section would not apply to a student enrolled prior to the 2015 fall semester.
The bill would require each governing board to certify that the institution does not prohibit, or suggest in any published materials, that the acceptance of transfer credit based solely on the accreditation of the sending institution when submitting its annual required list of courses removed or added for the current academic year to the THECB.
Based on the LBB’s analysis of responses from each public university system and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished using existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration