By:  Barrientos                                        S.B. No. 846
       73R6156 SOS-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to participation by institutions of higher education in
    1-3  the national student exchange program.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 51.929 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 51.929.  NATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM.  (a)
    1-8  Institutions of higher education may participate in the national
    1-9  student exchange program for the purpose of providing reciprocal
   1-10  educational opportunities for undergraduate students of colleges
   1-11  and universities in the United States.
   1-12        (b)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt
   1-13  rules relating to the participation of institutions of higher
   1-14  education and students in the national student exchange program,
   1-15  including course and skill requirements, restrictions on length of
   1-16  student participation in the program, and matters relating to
   1-17  payment of tuition and fees.
   1-18        (c)  A student may not participate in the program for more
   1-19  than one year.
   1-20        (d)  In this section:
   1-21              (1)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
   1-22  assigned by Section 61.003 of this code.
   1-23              (2)  "National student exchange program" means the
   1-24  program administered by the National Student Exchange, a nonprofit
    2-1  corporation.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-7  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-8  passage, and it is so enacted.