12 LC 28
6209S
The
Senate Higher Education Committee offered the following substitute to SB
478:
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 20-3-250.8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to applications to operate or conduct postsecondary activities under
the "Nonpublic Postsecondary Educational Institutions Act of 1990," so as to
provide for authorization to operate by means of accreditation for nonpublic
postsecondary institutions that meet certain requirements; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 20-3-250.8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
applications to operate or conduct postsecondary activities under the "Nonpublic
Postsecondary Educational Institutions Act of 1990," is amended by revising
subsection (a) as follows:
"(a)(1)
Each nonpublic postsecondary educational institution desiring to operate or
conduct postsecondary activities in this state shall make application to the
commission, upon forms to be provided by the commission. Such application shall
be accompanied by a catalog or other written description published, or proposed
to be published, by the institution, containing the information specified in
subparagraph (a)(1)(D) of Code Section 20-3-250.6, including information
required by rules and regulations of the commission. Such application shall also
be accompanied by evidence of a surety bond if required by Code Section
20-3-250.10 and subsection (c) of Code Section 20-3-250.27 and shall be
accompanied by payment of the fees specified in Code Section 20-3-250.11;
provided, however, that when making application to the commission for
authorization to operate, those institutions exempt from certain provisions of
this part pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (10) of subsection (a) of Code
Section 20-3-250.3 or subsection (c) of Code Section 20-3-250.3 shall be
required to submit only those documents pertaining to provisions of this part
from which such institutions are not exempt.
(2)(A)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, a nonpublic postsecondary
educational institution that meets the following criteria may apply for an
authorization to operate by means of accreditation from the
commission:
(i)
The institution has operated legally in this state for at least ten consecutive
years;
(ii)
The institution holds institutional accreditation by an accrediting agency that
is recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the
United States Department of Education for at least ten consecutive years;
and
(iii)
The institution has no unresolved complaints or actions against it in the past
12 months.
(B)
The commission may not require an institution granted an authorization to
operate by means of accreditation to submit information or reports that differ
from the information or reports required by its accrediting association;
provided, however, that each such institution shall file with the commission an
application for renewal which shall be accompanied by payment of the fees
specified in Code Section 20-3-250.11 and shall follow all other applicable
requirements of this part.
(C)
An institution granted an authorization to operate by means of accreditation
shall be required to apply for and obtain a regular authorization to operate for
any new or existing program which exceeds the level or scope of such
institution's
accreditation."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.