S.B. No. 3039         AN ACT   relating to the transfer of students in public higher education and   to transparency regarding certificate or degree program   requirements.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 51.4033 and 51.4034, Education Code,   are amended to read as follows:          Sec. 51.4033.  TRANSFER REPORT [OF NONTRANSFERABLE CREDIT].   (a) Not later than May 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by   the coordinating board, each general academic teaching institution   shall provide to the coordinating board and the legislature a   report that:                (1)  describes [describing] any courses in the   Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual or its successor   adopted by the coordinating board for which a student who transfers   to the institution from another institution of higher education is   not granted:                      (A) [(1)]  academic credit at the receiving   institution; or                      (B) [(2)]  if the student has declared a major and   has not changed majors, academic credit toward the student's major   at the receiving institution;                (2)  details the institution's goals to increase the   number, success, and persistence, as measured by the coordinating   board, of students who transfer to the institution from a public   junior college;                (3)  assesses the institution's academic and technical   transfer pathways;                (4)  identifies:                      (A)  any existing barriers to transferring to the   institution; and                      (B)  emerging issues affecting transfer students   at the institution;                (5)  details the institution's actions to serve current   and prospective transfer students through local and regional   articulation agreements that include:                      (A)  faculty collaboration;                      (B)  public junior college program enhancements;                      (C)  student outreach and advising services;                      (D)  website information development;                      (E)  targeted financial aid;                      (F)  student success programs; and                      (G)  degree program alignment; and                (6)  contains any other information relating to the   transfer of academic credit to the institution required by   coordinating board rule.          (b)  A report required by this section must indicate for each   course described by Subsection (a)(1):                (1)  the course name, [and] type, and common course   number;                (2)  the name of:                      (A)  the institution of higher education or other   postsecondary educational institution at which the student   completed the course; and                      (B)  the [which] institution of higher education   that awarded or transcribed [provided] academic credit for the   course; and                (3)  the reason why the receiving institution did not   grant academic credit for the course as described by Subsection   (a), including whether the institution complied with the dispute   resolution process under Section 61.826.          (c)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,   the coordinating board shall submit to the governor, the   Legislative Budget Board, the house appropriations committee, and   the senate finance committee a report that evaluates actions to   increase the number, success, and persistence of students who   transfer to a general academic teaching institution from a public   junior college. The report must include:                (1)  a comparative analysis of institution reports and   performance data, including application and admission rates,   financial aid awarded, time-to-degree, and baccalaureate   graduation rates of students, including transfer students, by   program completion at public junior colleges and general academic   teaching institutions during the preceding academic year;                (2)  a study of public junior college transfer   practices; and                (3)  recommendations for legislative or other action to   meet the transfer student-related goals of the state's master plan   for higher education developed under Section 61.051.          (d)  The coordinating board may adopt rules necessary to   implement this section.          Sec. 51.4034.  REPORT OF COURSES TAKEN AT PUBLIC JUNIOR   COLLEGES. (a) Not later than May 1 of each year and in the form   prescribed by the coordinating board, each public junior college   shall provide to the coordinating board and the legislature a   report on courses taken by students who, during the preceding   academic year, transferred to a general academic teaching   institution, completed a field of study curriculum, or earned an   associate degree at the college.          (b)  A report required by this section must include:                (1)  the total number of:                      (A) [(1)]  courses attempted and completed at the   college, including the total number of semester credit hours for   those courses, disaggregated by whether the course is in:                            (i) [(A)]  the Workforce Education Course   Manual or its successor adopted by the coordinating board; or                            (ii) [(B)]  the Lower-Division Academic   Course Guide Manual or its successor adopted by the coordinating   board;                      (B) [(2)]  courses attempted and completed at the   college that are not in the recommended core curriculum developed   by the coordinating board under Section 61.822; and                      (C) [(3)]  dual credit courses, including courses   for joint high school and junior college credit under Section   130.008, attempted and completed at the college; and                (2)  any other relevant information required by   coordinating board rule.          (c)  The coordinating board may adopt rules necessary to   implement this section.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 51.4035 to read as follows:          Sec. 51.4035.  PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION REGARDING DENIAL   OF TRANSFER CREDIT. (a) Each institution of higher education shall   maintain on the admissions page of the institution's Internet   website a list of:                (1)  the five majors or degree or certificate programs   offered by the institution with the highest number of courses for   which academic credit is denied or not applied toward the major or   program; and                (2)  the five courses for each major or degree or   certificate program described by Subdivision (1) for which academic   credit is most frequently denied because the credit is not   applicable toward the major or program.          (b)  The coordinating board annually shall provide to each   institution of higher education a list of the courses described by   Subsection (a)(2).          (c)  The coordinating board may adopt rules necessary to   implement this section.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 61.07771 to read as follows:          Sec. 61.07771.  TRANSPARENCY IN CERTIFICATE AND DEGREE   PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. (a) The board, in consultation with   institutions of higher education, shall adopt rules requiring   institutions of higher education to provide transparency in   certificate and degree program requirements for students enrolling   at or transferring to the institution.          (b)  The rules must require each institution of higher   education to:                (1)  ensure that the requirements for each certificate   or degree program offered by the institution:                      (A)  are current, accessible to students enrolled   at the institution and members of the public through the following   sources, as applicable, and uniform at each of the following   sources:                            (i)  the institution's internal Internet   website for students;                            (ii)  the institution's Internet website;   and                            (iii)  the Internet website of the   department at the institution that offers the certificate or degree   program; and                      (B)  state:                            (i)  the prerequisites for each course   required as part of the certificate or degree program; and                            (ii)  any non-course requirements for the   certificate or degree program and, if the institution offers   different tracks for completing the program, those requirements for   each track; and                (2)  post on the institution's Internet website the   minimum requirements to be accepted as a transfer student at the   institution.          SECTION 4.  Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 61.8231 to read as follows:          Sec. 61.8231.  TRANSFER LIAISON. (a) Each institution of   higher education, using existing resources, shall designate at   least one employee of the institution to serve as a single point of   contact for other institutions of higher education and the board   regarding transfer issues and to act as a liaison officer for   current or incoming students at the institution who will transfer   into or out of the institution.          (b)  On a transfer or request to transfer to or from an   institution of higher education, the institution's transfer   liaison shall provide a current, former, or prospective student, as   applicable, with:                (1)  a complete and current list of the institution's   core curriculum applicable to the student;                (2)  a complete and current list of the institution's   field of study curricula that may be applicable to the student;                (3)  for a receiving institution, a list of courses   completed by the student:                      (A)  for which the institution will accept   academic credit; and                      (B)  for which the institution proposes to deny   academic credit in accordance with Section 61.826, including the   procedures for credit transfer dispute required by that section;   and                (4)  any other information required by board rule.          (c)  On the admission of a transfer student, the receiving   institution of higher education's transfer liaison shall assist the   student in obtaining a degree audit to determine whether the   student's completed coursework satisfies the institution's core   curriculum, satisfies a field of study curriculum of the   institution, or qualifies the student to be awarded a Texas Direct   associate degree under Section 61.834 or any other degree or   certificate offered by the institution.          (d)  The board shall adopt rules necessary to implement this   section.          SECTION 5.  (a) Not later than January 1, 2026, the Texas   Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt the rules required   by Section 61.07771, Education Code, as added by this Act.          (b)  A public institution of higher education shall comply   with the rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section   beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year.          SECTION 6.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026   academic year.          SECTION 7.  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, 2025.               ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                 I hereby certify that S.B. No. 3039 passed the Senate on   May 6, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the   Senate concurred in House amendments on May 30, 2025, by the   following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.       ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate                I hereby certify that S.B. No. 3039 passed the House, with   amendments, on May 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 77,   Nays 60, four present not voting.       ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House            Approved:     ______________________________                Date       ______________________________              Governor