Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Higher Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House approves pilot allowing eligible community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees
Summary
House File 2649 passed after debate about student access and funding. The bill creates a pilot permitting eligible community colleges (at least 50 miles from a main campus) to offer up to three bachelor's programs in high-demand fields, with an adopted amendment clarifying central-campus delivery.
The House passed House File 2649 on March 4, authorizing a pilot program for certain community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in specified high-demand fields (education, nursing, information technology, public safety, business, healthcare management, agriculture and dental hygiene). Representative Collins, who introduced the bill, said the bill responds to workforce shortages and expands local access to bachelor’s-level education in areas more than 50 miles from other public or private campuses.
An adopted amendment clarified that the programs must be offered at the community college’s central campus. Representatives during floor debate urged colleagues to consider district-level student needs, funding, and whether the pilot should include an appropriation; Representative Gelbach said final budget numbers were not available yet. Student access and local workforce benefits were prominent themes in arguments for the pilot.
Procedure and vote: Representative Collins moved HF2649 as amended to passage; the bill passed by recorded vote (Aye 55; No 36; Absent 9). The House approved the measure and agreed the title.
