Requires the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to develop a plan for enabling community colleges to offer an associate's degree completed in coordination with credits earned in an apprenticeship or training program.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 2539
Sponsored by Representative ELMER; Representative GOMBERG (at the request of Hugh Ady, Statecraft) (Preses-
sion filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: Tells the HECC to create a plan that allows students at community colleges to earn
credits from certain training programs. Tells the HECC to give a report on the plan to the legisla-
ture. Ends the plan on January 2, 2027. Declares an emergency and takes effect when the Governor
signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 62.8).
Requires the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to develop a plan for enabling com-
munity colleges to offer an associate’s degree completed in coordination with credits earned in an
apprenticeship or training program.
Requires the commission to submit a report detailing the plan by September 15, 2026.
Sunsets on January 2, 2027.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to associate’s degrees; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall develop a plan for
enabling community colleges to offer an associate’s degree that is completed in coordination
with credits earned in an apprenticeship or training program that is:
(a) Four years or greater in length; and
(b) Registered with the State Apprenticeship and Training Council in conformity with
ORS 660.002 to 660.210.
(2) The plan developed under subsection (1) of this section shall:
(a) Ensure that participation in an apprenticeship or training program will satisfy any
mathematics requirement necessary to obtain an associate’s degree;
(b) Set forth the additional general education requirements that are necessary to qualify
for an associate’s degree;
(c) Ensure that accelerated college credit programs count toward satisfying any addi-
tional general education requirements identified in paragraph (b) of this subsection; and
(d) Ensure that participation in the program is made available to individuals who have
completed an applicable apprenticeship or training program in previous years.
(3) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall submit a report containing the
plan, along with proposed legislation, to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly
related to higher education no later than September 15, 2026. The report shall also include:
(a) An analysis of whether any additional accreditation for apprenticeship or training
programs is necessary to implement the program;
(b) The resources required to implement the program;
(c) The timeline necessary to implement the program; and
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 2476
HB 2539
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(d) The number of additional associate’s degrees that are expected to be earned under the
program during each biennium.
SECTION 2.
Section 1 of this 2025 Act is repealed on January 2, 2027.
SECTION 3. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
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