Committee reports bill requiring statewide guaranteed transfer pathways and appeals process

The committee voted to report House Bill 3024 to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass after adopting the amendment described by counsel. The bill requires the Higher Education Policy Commission and the Council for Community and Technical College Education to develop statewide guaranteed transfer pathways, statewide guarantee transfer frameworks and agreements, and an appeals process to resolve disagreements between transferring students and receiving institutions regarding credit transfer and acceptance.

Counsel described a statewide guaranteed-transfer and articulation advisory committee that the chancellors or their designees would convene; membership would include at least one representative from each state institution of higher education as recommended by institutional presidents. A student who completes all requirements of a guaranteed-transfer pathway, including approved dual-enrollment courses completed during high school or at a Career and Technical Education center, and who transfers to an associated baccalaureate program at a public institution would not be required to complete more than the total credits for the baccalaureate degree minus 60 credit hours earned in the pathway. Approved courses in the pathway must be accepted as meeting general-education or program-specific requirements at the receiving institution, subject to limited exceptions for hardship, accreditation standards or other good cause.

The committee approved the amendment described by counsel, moved the bill, and reported HB 3024 to the full Senate with recommendation that it pass.