84R3329 JRJ-F
 
  By: Ellis S.B. No. 271
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer
  baccalaureate degree programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (b), (d), (e), (g), and (h) and adding
  Subsections (a-1), (g-1), (k), and (l) to read as follows:
         (a)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may
  [shall] authorize public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate
  degree programs in the fields of applied science, [and] applied
  technology, and nursing under this section.  Offering a
  baccalaureate degree program under this section does not otherwise
  alter the role and mission of a public junior college.
         (a-1)  Each biennium, the coordinating board, in
  consultation with the Texas Workforce Commission, institutions of
  higher education, and local workforce development boards, shall
  identify at least three but not more than five applied science
  disciplines for which a baccalaureate degree program may be offered
  by a public junior college under this section.
         (b)  The coordinating board:
               (1)  shall authorize baccalaureate degree programs at
  each public junior college that previously participated in a pilot
  project to offer baccalaureate degree programs; and
               (2)  may authorize baccalaureate degree programs at one
  or more public junior colleges that offer a degree program in the
  field of applied science or the field of nursing and have
  demonstrated a workforce need.
         (d)  Baccalaureate degree programs offered [A public junior
  college offering a baccalaureate degree program] under this section
  [may not offer more than five baccalaureate degree programs at any
  time.     The degree programs] are subject to the continuing approval
  of the coordinating board.
         (e)  In determining what baccalaureate degree programs are
  to be offered, the coordinating board shall:
               (1)  apply the same criteria and standards the
  coordinating board uses to approve baccalaureate degree programs at
  general academic teaching institutions; and
               (2)  consider the following factors:
                     (A) [(1)]  the workforce need for the degree
  programs in the region served by the junior college;
                     (B) [(2)]  how those degree programs would
  complement the other programs and course offerings of the junior
  college and whether the associate degree program offered by the
  junior college in the same field has been successful;
                     (C) [(3)]  whether those degree programs would
  unnecessarily duplicate the degree programs offered by other
  institutions of higher education or whether a partnership with
  other institutions of higher education is possible; [and]
                     (D) [(4)]  the ability of the junior college to
  support the program with student enrollment and the adequacy of the
  junior college's facilities, faculty, administration, libraries,
  and other resources; and
                     (E)  whether the junior college meets the taxable
  property valuation amount established in Section 130.032.
         (g)  Except as provided by Subsection (g-1), in [In] its
  recommendations to the legislature relating to state funding for
  public junior colleges, the coordinating board shall recommend that
  a public junior college receive substantially the same state
  support for junior-level and senior-level courses offered under
  this section as that provided to a general academic teaching
  institution for substantially similar courses. In determining the
  contact hours attributable to students enrolled in a junior-level
  or senior-level course offered under this section used to determine
  a public junior college's proportionate share of state
  appropriations under Section 130.003, the coordinating board shall
  weigh those contact hours as necessary to provide the junior
  college the appropriate level of state support to the extent state
  funds for those courses are included in the appropriations.  This
  subsection does not prohibit the legislature from directly
  appropriating state funds to support junior-level and senior-level
  courses offered under this section.
         (g-1)  For the first two years in which a degree program
  created under Subsection (b)(2) is offered, the degree program may
  be funded solely by a public junior college's proportionate share
  of state appropriations under Section 130.003, local funds, and
  private sources. This subsection does not require the legislature
  to appropriate state funds to support a degree program created
  under Subsection (b)(2) for the first two years in which the degree
  program is offered.  For the third, fourth, and fifth years in which
  a degree program created under Subsection (b)(2) is offered, state
  appropriations under Section 130.003 for the degree program may not
  provide more than 50 percent of the total amount of funds required
  to support the degree program.
         (h)  Each biennium, each [Each] public junior college
  offering a baccalaureate degree program under this section shall
  conduct a review of each baccalaureate degree program offered and
  prepare a [biennial] report on the operation, quality, and
  effectiveness of those [the junior college's baccalaureate] degree
  programs. A [and shall deliver a] copy of the report shall be
  delivered to the coordinating board in the form and at the time
  determined by the coordinating board.
         (k)  The coordinating board shall adopt rules as necessary
  for the administration of this section.
         (l)  In this section, "general academic teaching
  institution" and "institution of higher education" have the
  meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
         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, 2015.