Relating to the establishment of the Building Better Futures Program to support educational and occupational skills training opportunities and support services for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at public and private institutions of higher education.

Contracts

• Grant Agreements: Participating institutions must execute contracts with THECB containing claw-back provisions if federal CTP approval is not obtained within the 3-year statutory window.
• Workforce MOUs: Institutions establishing occupational internships must amend Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with employer partners. These contracts must explicitly define liability and supervision responsibilities for students with IDD in workplace settings.

Hiring/Training

• Admissions Protocols: Admissions officers must be trained on a new, separate "selective admissions process" mandated by the law. This process must evaluate "ability to benefit" rather than standard GPA/SAT metrics.
• Risk Assessment: Staff must be trained to document determinations regarding whether an applicant poses a "danger to self or others," a specific statutory eligibility requirement.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Medical Data Segregation: Institutions must establish a secure repository for diagnostic documentation (physician/psychologist verification of IDD) separate from standard academic records to ensure HIPAA/FERPA compliance prior to enrollment.
• Non-Transferability Firewall: Registrars must code BBFP courses to ensure they do not apply toward associate or baccalaureate degrees, as strictly prohibited by Sec. 61.575.

Fees & Costs

• Program Development: Institutions must front-load the costs of curriculum design and federal CTP application preparation.
• Funding Uncertainty: The Fiscal Note states implications "cannot be determined." Institutions should budget for the scenario where state grants supplement, rather than fully cover, program costs.