Bill Text: TX HB2000 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the qualification of certain nonprofit schools and educational institutions for exemption from state laws regulating career schools and colleges and to complaints made against those entities.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective immediately [HB2000 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HB2000-Introduced.html

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By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 2000

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to career schools and colleges.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 132.001, Education Code, is amended by
adding subsection (16) to read as follows:
(16) "Primary campus" means, for educational institutions
that are owned and operated by the same person, the school or
institution designated by the owner as the main or principal campus
for other such schools or institutions.
SECTION 2. Section 132.002, Education Code, is amended by
amending subsection (g) and adding subsections (h), (i), and (j) to
read as follows:
(g) Except as provided in subsection (h), an [An
]
institution of higher education or a private or independent
institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, that
was exempt from regulation under this chapter before September 1,
2003, remains exempt from regulation under this chapter and is not
required to comply with this section.
(h) A school or educational institution that currently
participates or intends to participate in the Title IV financial
aid programs authorized by the federal Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended, may not be exempted by this chapter by the
commission under subsection (a)(2) unless the school or institution
demonstrates to the commission that:
(1) either:
(i) the school or institution is accredited by
one or more accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary
of Education; or
(ii) the school or institution, or the primary
campus for the school or institution, has been continuously in
operation for at least 20 years, notwithstanding the amount of time
the current owner has owned that school or institution; or
(2) the school or institution is owned, controlled,
operated, and maintained by a religious organization lawfully
operating as a nonprofit religious corporation and awards only
religious degrees or certificates including, but not limited to, a
certificate of Talmudic studies, an associate of Biblical studies,
a master of divinity, or a doctor of divinity.
(i) A school or educational institution may demonstrate to
the commission its compliance with subsection (h) by the
application process under subsection (d) or, if the most recent
declaration by the commission that the school or institution is
exempt from regulation under this chapter occurred prior to June
30, 2013, by submission of an affidavit from the owner.
(j) For any school or educational institution that is both
exempt from regulation under subsection (a)(2) and in compliance
with subsection (h)(1), the consumer protection division of the
attorney general's office shall have a process to review and act on
complaints by students of the school or institution relating to
consumer protection against fraudulent or abusive practices by the
school or institution.
SECTION 3. 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.