By Kubiak                                             H.B. No. 2601
       74R597 JSA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the effect of residence status on registration in
    1-3  academic courses at public institutions of higher education.
    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 51.935 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 51.935.  REGISTRATION IN ACADEMIC COURSES.  (a)  An
    1-8  institution of higher education, as that term is defined by Section
    1-9  61.003 of this code, shall give priority to residents in
   1-10  registering students in academic courses offered by the
   1-11  institution.
   1-12        (b)  The institution may not register a nonresident student
   1-13  in a particular academic course during a particular semester unless
   1-14  all resident students who have communicated to the institution an
   1-15  interest in registering in that course are first given the
   1-16  opportunity to register for that course.
   1-17        (c)  Each governing board of an institution of higher
   1-18  education shall adopt rules necessary to carry out this section.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with registration for
   1-20  the spring semester 1996.  The change in law made by this Act does
   1-21  not affect registration for a semester or term preceding the spring
   1-22  semester 1996.
   1-23        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.