1-1 By: West S.B. No. 585 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 16, 1995; February 16, 1995, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Education; 1-4 May 3, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, 1-5 Nays 0; May 3, 1995, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to assistance by certain public institutions of higher 1-9 education relating to admissions, financial aid, and testing. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 1-12 amended by adding Section 51.935 to read as follows: 1-13 Sec. 51.935. ASSISTANCE RELATING TO UNDERGRADUATE 1-14 ADMISSIONS, FINANCIAL AID, AND TESTING. (a) The governing board 1-15 of each general academic teaching institution shall establish an 1-16 office at the institution to assist applicants, potential 1-17 applicants, high school guidance counselors, and other interested 1-18 persons requesting assistance relating to: 1-19 (1) applying for admission to a bachelor's degree 1-20 program at the institution; 1-21 (2) applying for financial aid offered by or through 1-22 the institution or by an office or agency of this state or the 1-23 United States for attendance as an undergraduate student at the 1-24 institution; 1-25 (3) registering for an examination to be taken in 1-26 connection with admission to a bachelor's degree program at the 1-27 institution; or 1-28 (4) registering for an examination that may be taken 1-29 to receive undergraduate course credit at the institution or to 1-30 determine the skill or placement level of an applicant to or 1-31 student enrolled in a bachelor's degree program at the institution. 1-32 (b) The office may be operated in connection with the 1-33 admissions office or another existing office of the institution. 1-34 (c) This section does not require an institution to assist a 1-35 person in preparing to take an examination. 1-36 (d) In this section, "general academic teaching institution" 1-37 has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003. 1-38 SECTION 2. A general academic teaching institution shall 1-39 establish the office required by Section 51.935, as added by this 1-40 Act, not later than January 1, 1996. 1-41 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-42 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-43 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-44 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-45 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-46 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-47 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-48 * * * * *