85R9592 KJE-D
 
  By: Canales H.B. No. 2937
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a pilot program under which a
  licensed hospital may offer dual credit courses to public high
  school students.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.0091 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.0091.  MEDICAL DUAL CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a)  The
  agency shall develop and implement a pilot program under which a
  licensed hospital may offer dual credit courses to high school
  students enrolled in a school district in partnership with the
  district.
         (b)  The agency shall select one licensed hospital to
  participate in the pilot program. The hospital must be accredited
  by The Joint Commission and:
               (1)  have been issued:
                     (A)  a certificate of approval to offer a program
  of instruction by the Texas Workforce Commission under Subchapter
  C, Chapter 132; or
                     (B)  a certificate of authority to award a degree
  for a program of study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board under Subchapter G, Chapter 61; or
               (2)  be accredited to offer a degree program by a
  recognized accrediting agency, as that term is defined by Section
  61.003.
         (c)  The licensed hospital selected under Subsection (b):
               (1)  may offer under the pilot program only dual credit
  courses that are in the curriculum of the hospital's authorized
  program of instruction or study or accredited degree program, as
  applicable; and
               (2)  subject to Subdivision (1) and Subsection (d),
  shall determine the content of each dual credit course offered
  under the pilot program.
         (d)  The licensed hospital selected under Subsection (b)
  must design the dual credit courses offered under the pilot program
  to enable students to earn a variety of certifications. The
  available certifications must be selected based on:
               (1)  the needs of the hospital;
               (2)  the terms of the hospital's agreements with
  partnering school districts to provide the dual credit courses
  under the pilot program; and 
               (3)  the goal of preparing students for employment in
  the health care field.
         (e)  The licensed hospital selected under Subsection (b) may
  not charge a student for a dual credit course offered under the
  pilot program an amount greater than the average amount charged by
  other providers for a similar course offered in the same region as
  the dual credit course, if any.
         (f)  From funds appropriated for the purpose, the agency
  shall provide to the licensed hospital selected under Subsection
  (b) funding for each contact hour attributable to the enrollment of
  a public high school student in a dual credit course offered under
  the pilot program in an amount equal to the amount allocated for an
  equivalent contact hour to a public junior college under Section
  130.003.
         (g)  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section. 
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  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, 2017.