By:  Barrientos                                        S.B. No. 846
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to the participation by institutions of higher education
    1-2  in the national student exchange program.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
    1-5  amended by adding Section 51.929 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 51.929.  NATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM.  (a)  In
    1-7  this section:
    1-8              (1)  "General academic teaching institution" has the
    1-9  meaning assigned by Section 61.003 of this code.
   1-10              (2)  "National student exchange program" means the
   1-11  program administered by the National Student Exchange, a nonprofit
   1-12  corporation.
   1-13        (b)  General academic teaching institutions may participate
   1-14  in the national student exchange program for the purpose of
   1-15  providing reciprocal educational opportunities for undergraduate
   1-16  students of colleges and universities in the United States.
   1-17        (c)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt
   1-18  rules relating to the participation of institutions of higher
   1-19  education and students in the national student exchange program.
   1-20        (d)  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 54.051 of this
   1-21  code, a nonresident exchange student participating in the program
   1-22  may be charged the resident tuition rate during the period of
   1-23  participation in the program.
   1-24        (e)  A student participating in the program from another
    2-1  state shall be exempt from the provisions of Section 51.306 of this
    2-2  code unless that student becomes a degree-seeking undergraduate
    2-3  student at a Texas public institution of higher education.
    2-4        (f)  A student may not participate in the program for more
    2-5  than one year.
    2-6        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-11  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-12  passage, and it is so enacted.