HBA-EDN, LJP H.B. 1685 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1685 By: Rangel Higher Education 2/25/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, there are no guidelines for the formation of partnerships or affiliations between a general academic teaching institution or a medical or dental unit and other entities to offer or conduct courses for academic credit or to offer a degree program. House Bill 1685 establishes guidelines and requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to review any proposed partnerships or affiliations and make a recommendation to the legislature. 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 1685 amends the Education Code to prohibit a governing board from establishing a partnership or affiliation between a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit (institution) within the governing board's control and any other entity to offer or conduct courses for academic credit or to offer or operate a degree program, unless the governing board determines that the partnership or affiliation is consistent with the role and mission of the institution and the partnership or affiliation is reviewed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and approved by the legislature. The bill requires THECB to review a proposed partnership or affiliation using the prescribed standards and to submit to the legislature a written recommendation regarding the establishment of the partnership or affiliation. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.