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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a pilot program under which a |
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licensed hospital may offer dual credit courses to public high |
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school students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0764 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0764. MEDICAL DUAL CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
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board shall develop and implement a pilot program under which a |
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licensed hospital may offer dual credit courses to high school |
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students enrolled in a school district in partnership with the |
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district. |
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(b) The board shall select one licensed hospital located in |
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a county that borders the United Mexican States and that has a |
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population of at least 700,000 and not more than 800,000 to |
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participate in the pilot program. The hospital must be accredited |
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by The Joint Commission and: |
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(1) have been issued: |
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(A) a certificate of approval to offer a program |
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of instruction by the Texas Workforce Commission under Subchapter |
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C, Chapter 132; or |
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(B) a certificate of authority to award a degree |
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for a program of study by the board under Subchapter G of this |
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chapter; |
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(2) be accredited to offer a degree program by the |
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appropriate recognized regional accrediting agency; or |
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(3) must: |
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(A) have entered into a partnership with an |
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institution of higher education to offer dual credit courses under |
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the pilot program; and |
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(B) be seeking authorization to offer a program |
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of instruction or study as described by Subdivision (1) or |
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accreditation to offer a degree program as described by Subdivision |
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(2). |
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(c) The licensed hospital selected under Subsection (b): |
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(1) may offer under the pilot program only dual credit |
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courses that are in the curriculum of the hospital's program of |
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instruction or study or degree program described by Subsection |
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(b)(1), (2), or (3), as applicable; and |
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(2) subject to Subdivision (1) and Subsection (d), |
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shall determine the content of each dual credit course offered |
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under the pilot program with the goal of ensuring that the course is |
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transferable for course credit applied toward a certificate or |
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degree at an institution of higher education. |
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(d) The licensed hospital selected under Subsection (b) |
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must design the dual credit courses offered under the pilot program |
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to enable students to earn a variety of certifications, |
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certificates, and degrees, including at least one certification or |
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certificate while the student is in high school. The available |
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certifications, certificates, and degrees must be selected based |
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on: |
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(1) the needs of the hospital; |
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(2) the terms of the hospital's agreements with |
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partnering school districts to provide the dual credit courses |
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under the pilot program; and |
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(3) the goal of preparing students for employment in |
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the health care field. |
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(e) A student enrolled in a dual credit course offered under |
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the pilot program is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation |
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School Program for the time spent by the student on that course, in |
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accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner of education. |
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(f) A student may not be charged for tuition, fees, or |
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required textbooks or other instructional materials for a dual |
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credit course offered under the pilot program. The school district |
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in which the student is enrolled is responsible for the cost of the |
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student's tuition, fees, or required textbooks or other |
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instructional materials for that course to the extent that those |
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amounts are not waived by the licensed hospital. |
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(g) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.0764, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2017. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2937 was passed by the House on May 9, |
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2017, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 6, 2 present, not |
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voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to |
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H.B. No. 2937 on May 26, 2017, and requested the appointment of a |
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conference committee to consider the differences between the two |
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houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report |
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on H.B. No. 2937 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, |
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Nays 2, 2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2937 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays |
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6; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference |
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committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and |
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that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. |
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2937 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 24, Nays 7. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |