HBA-CBW H.B. 2344 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2344
By: Oliveira
Higher Education
3/18/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Senate Bill 274 passed by the 76th Legislature allowed for the downward
expansion of The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB), providing for
the teaching of lower-division courses and setting a lowerdivision
enrollment cap of 900 students. The inclusion of the cap was intended to
allow for the downward expansion of UTB so as not to negatively impact the
enrollment of Texas Southmost College (TSC). However, the partnership
established between UTB and TSC protects against actions by one institution
that could produce a negative impact on the enrollment of the other
institution.  UTB and TSC believes that the enrollment cap is not necessary
for the UTB-TSC partnership to continue to grow and address critical issues
of access to higher education opportunities in Texas.  House Bill 2344
removes the enrollment cap on the number of lower-division students
enrolled at UTB preceding the 2005-2006 academic year. 

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

House Bill 2344 amends the Education Code to remove the cap of 900 students
on the number of lowerdivision students that may be enrolled at The
University of Texas at Brownsville in an academic year preceding the
2005-2006 academic year.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

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