(a) The Legislature finds that:

(1) The state has an increasing need for individuals with a post-secondary credential or degree;

(2) Post-secondary education institutions offering programs primarily below the baccalaureate level often are a more affordable option for students; and

(3) Implementing a seamless education system with uniform transfer of credits among post-secondary institutions in the state would greatly benefit students.

(b) The commission and council jointly shall develop recommendations for implementing course credit transfer among private and public higher education institutions in the state. When developing policy regarding transfer affecting private institutions, the commission and council shall consult with at least two representatives from the private higher education institutions. The commission and council shall report the recommendations on public higher education institutions to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability by December 1, 2015. The commission and council shall report the recommendations on private higher education instututions to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability by December 1, 2017. The recommendations shall address the following:

(1) Providing a uniform method for transferring credit between institutions for a course successfully completed by a student if:

(A) The course curriculum of the sending institution is at least seventy percent the same or similar to that of the receiving institution;

(B) The sending institution validates that the student successfully competed the course for which credit will be transferred; and

(C) The sending institution is accredited by a regional, national, programmatic or other accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended;

(2) Establishing a uniform method for each institution to provide clear and specific details of course content for each course it offers in a manner that allows a sending institution to determine:

(A) Whether its course is at least seventy percent the same or similar to the receiving institution; and if not,

(B) What changes to its course curriculum is needed to achieve the seventy percent level;

(3) Providing to the student and sending institution clear and specific details regarding:

(A) Reasons that a receiving institution denies course credit transfer; and

(B) Additional information or actions, if any, necessary to permit the transfer; and

(4) Allowing a student to resubmit a course credit transfer request following denial.