House Bill No. 1870 introduces a new subchapter, Subchapter G-1, to Chapter 51 of the Education Code, focusing on the accreditation of public institutions of higher education in Texas. The bill establishes the Texas Higher Education Accreditation Commission, which will be responsible for approving accrediting agencies and conducting evaluations of these agencies every two years. The commission will consist of nine members appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house, with specific requirements for membership to ensure representation from employers in relevant fields. The commission is tasked with ensuring that institutions of higher education seek accreditation from approved agencies and will publish evaluation standards and performance rankings of these agencies on a publicly accessible website.

Additionally, the bill outlines the procedures for institutions that fail to comply with accreditation requirements, including a notice of noncompliance and potential withholding of state funding until compliance is achieved. The commission is also required to adopt rules necessary for implementing the new accreditation framework. The bill stipulates that the commission must be operational by September 1, 2026, and includes provisions for the funding of its activities, indicating that mandatory actions will only be implemented if specifically appropriated funds are available. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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