CT HB07253

Office of Higher Education shall enter into a multistate or regional reciprocity agreement by January 1, 2017, to establish uniform standards for distance learning programs and eliminate individual state quality assessments of out-of-state institutions.

Out-of-state institutions participating in the state authorization reciprocity agreement may operate distance learning programs in Connecticut without separate state authorization, licensing, or accreditation review.

Connecticut institutions seeking to participate in the reciprocity agreement must submit applications to the Office of Higher Education; authorization is valid for one year and renewable annually with fees graduated based on full-time equivalent student enrollment.

Out-of-state institutions not participating in the reciprocity agreement must apply directly to the Office of Higher Education and agree to standards equivalent to the reciprocity agreement; authorization is valid for one year and renewable with graduated fees based on enrollment.

Attorney General authority to enforce consumer protection laws under Connecticut chapter 735a and Title X of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act remains unaffected.