HB 221-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2015 SESSION
04/06
HOUSE BILL 221-FN
AN ACT relative to the granting of 4-year baccalaureate degrees by the community college system of New Hampshire.
SPONSORS: Rep. Burton, Straf 6; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21
This bill inserts a specific provision relating to the community college system of New Hampshire granting 4-year baccalaureate degrees.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
15-0425
04/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen
AN ACT relative to the granting of 4-year baccalaureate degrees by the community college system of New Hampshire.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Community College System of New Hampshire Established. Amend RSA 188-F:1 to read as follows:
188-F:1 Community College System of New Hampshire Established. The community college system of New Hampshire is hereby established and made a body politic and corporate, the main purpose of which shall be to provide a well-coordinated system of public community college education offering, as a primary mission, technical programs to prepare students for technical careers as well as general, 2-year and 4-year professional, and transfer programs, and certificate and short term training programs which serve the needs of the state and the nation. The colleges of the community college system of New Hampshire are authorized to grant and confer in the name of the colleges all such degrees, literary titles, honors, and distinctions as [other community colleges may of right do] may be authorized by the board of trustees. The community college system of New Hampshire shall include, but is not limited to, colleges in Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Laconia, Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth. The community college system may also include regional academic centers that make quality educational opportunities accessible to New Hampshire residents.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
15-0425
Revised 01/15/15
HB 221-FN FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to the granting of 4-year baccalaureate degrees by the community college system of New Hampshire.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The University System of New Hampshire and the Community College System of New Hampshire state this bill, as introduced, may have an indeterminable impact on state expenditures and revenue in FY 2016 and each year thereafter. There will be no impact on county and local expenditures or revenue.
METHODOLOGY:
The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) and the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) state the proposed legislation clarifies the CCSNH’s existing degree granting authority relative to CCSNH offering 4-year baccalaureate degrees. The CCSNH states they are unable to estimate the number of students who would enroll or would remain enrolled within the CCSNH to pursue a 4-year degree if such a degree were to be offered, or what programs would be impacted. Accordingly, the CCSNH is unable to determine to what extent the proposed legislation would affect tuition revenues. The CCSNH is also unable to estimate to what extent the establishment of 4-year degree programs would increase state expenditures.
The USNH states if CCSNH were to offer 4-year baccalaureate degrees, there may be a potential duplicate of public higher education programs in the state, and therefore negatively impact enrollments as a result of fewer students transferring from the CCSNH to the USNH. Accordingly, the USNH believes it is reasonable to assume the proposed legislation could result in an annual loss of tuition and fee revenues. Although the USNH is unable to determine to what extent any duplication could impact attendance, they estimate the loss of 100% of CCSNH transfers would reduce tuition and fee revenue to the USNH by $6,433,440 in FY 2016, $12,897,215 in FY 2017, $13,913,632 in FY2018 and $14,930,711 in FY2018. The USNH also noted any significant reductions in tuition revenues could secondarily reduce state expenditures by an indeterminable amount.