BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2640 By: Madden 04-04-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The State Auditors Office often encounters the problem of over-reporting by colleges when trying to determine the number of students enrolled in a public community college. The Auditor's office uses add/drop dates to determine the student enrollment in public community colleges. Currently, there is no language providing for a uniform add/drop date used by community colleges state-wide. This causes confusion and misrepresentation of actual college enrollment. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 2640 provides a uniform add-drop date that can be used by public community colleges throughout Texas. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does expressly grant additional rulemaking authority to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in Section 1 (Sec. 130.008, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 130 A, Education Code, by adding Section 130.008 to read as follows: Sec. 130.008. UNIFORM DATES FOR ADDING OR DROPPING COURSE. (a) Authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by rule to establish uniform final dates for adding or dropping a course that is to be set by counting from the first class day of an academic semester. (b) Students may not enroll in a course after a uniform final date for adding a course. Also, a student is not entitled to a refund of any tuition for a course that the student drops after a uniform final date for dropping a course. (c) The rules may provide for different dates for academic semesters or terms of different durations. (d) The board shall establish rules under this section not later than December 1, 1995. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION H.B. 2640 was considered by the committee in a formal meeting on April 20, 1995. The bill was reported favorably without amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, 2 absent.