Bill Text: TX SB922 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to partnerships between the Texas State Technical College System and public junior colleges.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-04-30 - Referred to Higher Education [SB922 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB922-Engrossed.html
By: Birdwell, et al. | S.B. No. 922 |
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relating to partnerships between the Texas State Technical College | ||
System and public junior colleges. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 135, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter D to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER D. PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE | ||
SYSTEM AND PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGES | ||
Sec. 135.101. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "public | ||
junior college" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
Sec. 135.102. PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS. (a) With the | ||
approval of the coordinating board, the board and a public junior | ||
college may enter into a partnership agreement designed to | ||
coordinate the management and operations of the institutions and to | ||
enhance the delivery of technical education programs across this | ||
state. The agreement does not abrogate the powers and duties of the | ||
boards with regard to the governance of their respective | ||
institutions. | ||
(b) A partnership agreement under this subchapter must: | ||
(1) provide that the participating institutions, in | ||
conjunction with the local community, identify and offer courses | ||
that will meet the educational and workforce development goals for | ||
the region; | ||
(2) provide that program offerings receive approval | ||
from the coordinating board; | ||
(3) provide for the distribution of responsibilities | ||
regarding specific program offerings and resulting awards; | ||
(4) provide for the distribution of tuition, fees, and | ||
state funds associated with formula funding regarding program | ||
offerings; and | ||
(5) comply with applicable rules of the coordinating | ||
board relating to contractual agreements. | ||
(c) A partnership agreement between the system and a public | ||
junior college under this subchapter is considered to be in | ||
compliance with Sections 135.04(b) and (c). | ||
Sec. 135.103. JOINT USE OF PERSONNEL. The governing boards | ||
of the participating institutions may fill by joint appointment any | ||
administrative, faculty, or support position necessary for the | ||
operation of the institutions. | ||
Sec. 135.104. SUPPORT SERVICES. The governing boards of | ||
the participating institutions may assign the management and | ||
operation of selected services, including maintenance of buildings | ||
and grounds, operation of auxiliary enterprises, and operation of a | ||
jointly supported library, to one of the institutions in order to | ||
achieve cost-effectiveness. | ||
Sec. 135.105. FACILITIES. (a) The participating | ||
institutions may, under the terms of the partnership agreement, | ||
make provisions for adequate physical facilities for use by the | ||
institutions. | ||
(b) The participating institutions may individually or | ||
collectively lease, purchase, finance, construct, or rehabilitate | ||
physical facilities under this section appropriate to partnership | ||
needs. The owning or financing of facilities under this section | ||
promotes the public purpose of supporting higher education and | ||
further promotes the public purpose of developing and diversifying | ||
the economy of this state and eliminating unemployment and | ||
underemployment in this state under the authority granted by | ||
Section 52-a, Article III, Texas Constitution. | ||
(c) A participating institution of higher education may | ||
lease facilities from or to another participating institution for | ||
administrative and instructional purposes. | ||
(d) Participating institutions may solicit, accept, and | ||
administer, on terms and conditions acceptable to the participating | ||
institutions, gifts, grants, or donations of any kind and from any | ||
source for facilities and equipment. | ||
(e) A facility used for the purposes of a partnership | ||
agreement under this subchapter is not considered a facility used | ||
to operate an extension program under Section 135.06. | ||
Sec. 135.106. STATE FUNDING. The system is entitled to | ||
receive state appropriations on the same formula basis as if the | ||
system did not enter into a partnership agreement under this | ||
subchapter, and any other participating institution of higher | ||
education is entitled to state appropriations on the same formula | ||
basis as other similar institutions of higher education. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |