BILL ANALYSIS
S.B. 181
By: Ratliff (Kamel)
02-17-95
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND
Current statute mandates that any student receiving a baccalaureate
degree from a state funded college or university must complete six
semester hours in both American Government and American History.
A student may receive credit for this requirement by transferring
hours completed at another college or by passing an advanced
placement exam accepted by the college or university. However, a
student cannot receive credit for more than three semester hours.
Unfortunately, this eliminates the opportunity for a highly-motivated student to fulfill this requirement solely through credit
by examination.
PURPOSE
As proposed, S.B. 181 provides for college credit in government or
political science and in American or Texas history through advanced
standing examination.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51 F, Education Code, by deleting the
provision of 51.301 and 51.302 as follows:
Sec. 51.301. GOVERNMENT OR POLITICAL SCIENCE. Delete the
provision that prohibits credit for the advanced standing
examination from exceeding three semester hours.
Sec. 51.302. AMERICAN OR TEXAS HISTORY. Delete the provision
that prohibits credit for the advanced standing examination from
exceeding three semester hours.
SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
Effective date: upon passage.
SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION
Public notice was posted in accordance with House Rules. S.B. 181
was considered in a public hearing on February 21, 1995. No one
testified for or against the bill. The chair recognized
Representative Rodriguez who moved that S.B. 181 be reported
favorably back to the full House with the recommendation that it do
pass, be printed and placed on the General State Calendar. The
motion carried with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv and 4 absent.