By Hilbert H.B. No. 996 76R1821 CAS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to reimbursement by school districts for developmental 1-3 courses taken by certain former district students at public 1-4 institutions of higher education. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Section 29.903 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 29.903. DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 1-9 EDUCATION. (a) The school district in which a student attended 1-10 high school shall reimburse the institution of higher education the 1-11 student attends for the cost to the institution of a developmental 1-12 course or program in English language arts or mathematics that the 1-13 student is required to take under Section 51.306 if the student 1-14 achieved an overall grade average equivalent to an A or B at a high 1-15 school in the district. For purposes of this subsection, the cost 1-16 to the institution does not include the amount of tuition and fees 1-17 the student pays for the course. If the student achieved an overall 1-18 high school grade average equivalent to an A or B in more than one 1-19 district in this state, each of those districts shall pay a 1-20 proportionate share of the reimbursement based on the amount of 1-21 time the student attended each district. 1-22 (b) As soon as practicable after the beginning of the 1-23 semester, the institution of higher education shall notify the 1-24 agency of the amount owed to the institution under this section. 2-1 The agency shall notify each district that owes money under this 2-2 section of the amount owed, and not later than the 45th day after 2-3 the day the district receives the notice, the district shall pay 2-4 that amount to the agency or file a claim that the amount is in 2-5 error or not owed. As soon as practicable after receiving the 2-6 payment, the agency shall forward the money to the institution of 2-7 higher education. 2-8 (c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to 2-9 implement this section, including rules for determining the cost to 2-10 institutions of higher education of developmental courses and rules 2-11 relating to verifying grade averages and amounts owed, resolving 2-12 disputed claims, and enforcing payment requirements. 2-13 (d) In this section: 2-14 (1) "High school" includes grades 9 through 12. 2-15 (2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning 2-16 assigned by Section 61.003. 2-17 SECTION 2. This Act applies to reimbursement for a 2-18 developmental course beginning with a developmental course taken in 2-19 the academic year that begins in the fall semester, 1999. 2-20 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-25 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-26 passage, and it is so enacted.