HBA-LJP C.S.H.B. 1685 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1685
By: Rangel
Higher Education
4/8/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



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.  C.S.H.B.
1685 establishes guidelines and requires the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board to approve any proposed partnerships or affiliations
between a general academic teaching institution or a medical or dental unit
and other entities. 

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. 1685 amends the Education Code to authorize a general academic
teaching institution or medical and dental unit to establish a partnership
or affiliation with another entity to offer or conduct courses for academic
credit or to offer or operate a degree program if 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
approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 

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. 1685 modifies the original to remove the requirement of the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board (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.  The substitute requires that the partnership
or affiliation be approved by THECB rather than by an act of the
legislature.  The substitute authorizes a general academic teaching
institution or medical and dental unit to establish a partnership or
affiliation with another entity under certain conditions, rather than
prohibit the establishment of these partnerships or affiliations unless the
establishment is under certain conditions.