HBA-JLV C.S.H.B. 1359 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1359
By: Villarreal, Mike
Higher Education
4/17/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, there is a lack of standardization of credit transfer practices
between two-year colleges and public universities in Texas.  To further
expedite the reform of credit transfer practices, the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (board), in conjunction with the legislature,
has worked to address the difficulties encountered by students in
transferring course credits.  C.S.H.B. 1359 requires the board to develop
field of study curriculum for not fewer than 15 degree programs and
requires each institution of higher education (institution) to publish its
practices in transferring course credits between institutions. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1359 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (board), in developing field of study
curricula, to pursue a management strategy that maximizes efficiency,
including a management strategy that provides for the decentralization of
advisory committees to enable concurrent development of curricula for
different fields of strategy.   
Not later than January 1, 2003, the board is required to develop the field
of study curriculum for not fewer than 10 degree programs designated by the
board not later than January 1, 2002, that are high-demand degree programs
for transfer students and that are common to more than one general academic
teaching institution.  The bill provides that if the board fails to meet
the requirements by January 1, 2003, for a designated degree program, all
lower division courses required for that degree program are automatically
transferable for credit between all institutions that offer that degree
program.  Not later than January 1, 2003, the board is required to report
to the legislature regarding the board's progress in developing this field
of study curricula.   

Not later than January 1, 2004, the board is required to develop, in
addition to the degree programs previously designated by the board, the
field of study curriculum for not fewer than five degree programs
designated by the board not later than January 1, 2003, that are
high-demand degree programs for transfer students and that are common to
more than one general academic teaching institution.  If the board fails to
meet the requirements by January 1, 2004, for a designated degree program,
all lower division courses required for that degree program are
automatically transferable for credit between all institutions  that offer
that degree program.   

Not later than January 1, 2004, the board is required to report to the
legislature regarding the board's progress in developing this field of
study curricula. 

The bill requires each institution of higher education (institution) to
publish guidelines addressing the practices of the institution regarding
the transfer of course credit in its course catalogs and on its website.
The bill requires the board to develop a uniform numbering system for all
lower division courses that are common to more than one institution for use
by those institutions.   
 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1359 modifies the original to require the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board (board), in developing the field of study curricula, to
pursue a management strategy that maximizes efficiency.   

The substitute requires the board to develop the field of study curricula
for degree programs designated by the board and provides that if the board
fails to meet certain requirements by certain dates, all lower division
courses required for that degree program are automatically transferable for
credit between all institutions that offer that degree program.  The
substitute requires the board to report to the legislature regarding the
board's progress in developing the field of study curricula.   

The substitute requires each institution of higher education (institution)
to publish guidelines addressing transfer practices in its course catalogs
and on its website and requires the board to develop a uniform numbering
system for all lower division courses. 

The substitute removes provisions from the original requiring the board to
evaluate criteria to be used by each institution to standardize its
transfer practices and requiring the board to address and attempt to remedy
any difficulties that are frequently encountered by students in
transferring course credit between institutions.