76R6224 KEL-D By McClendon H.B. No. 1266 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1266: By Goolsby C.S.H.B. No. 1266 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the automatic admission of certain undergraduate 1-3 transfer students. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 51.801, Education Code, is amended to 1-6 read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 51.801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "general 1-8 academic teaching institution," "governing board," "medical and 1-9 dental unit," "public junior college," "public technical 1-10 institute," and "university system" have the meanings assigned by 1-11 Section 61.003. 1-12 SECTION 2. Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 51.8065 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 51.8065. AUTOMATIC ADMISSION: UNDERGRADUATE TRANSFER 1-15 STUDENTS. (a) Each general academic teaching institution shall 1-16 admit an applicant for admission to the institution as an 1-17 undergraduate transfer student if in the year preceding the 1-18 academic year for which the applicant is applying for admission 1-19 under this section the applicant: 1-20 (1) received a degree from a public junior college or 1-21 public technical institute; and 1-22 (2) completed the degree program with a cumulative 1-23 grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a four-point scale or the 1-24 equivalent. 2-1 (b) To qualify for admission under this section, an 2-2 applicant must submit an application before the expiration of any 2-3 application filing deadline established by the institution. 2-4 (c) After admitting an applicant under this section who has 2-5 earned an associate of applied science degree, the institution may 2-6 review the applicant's record and any other factor the institution 2-7 considers appropriate to determine whether the applicant may 2-8 require additional preparation for college-level work or would 2-9 benefit from inclusion in a retention program. The institution may 2-10 require a student so identified to enroll during the summer 2-11 immediately after the student is admitted under this section to 2-12 participate in appropriate enrichment courses and orientation 2-13 programs. This section does not prohibit a student who is not 2-14 determined to need additional preparation for college-level work 2-15 from enrolling, if the student chooses, during the summer 2-16 immediately after the student is admitted under this section. 2-17 SECTION 3. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies 2-18 beginning with admissions for the 2000 fall semester. 2-19 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and each 2-20 general academic teaching institution shall adopt rules or policies 2-21 relating to the admission of students under Section 51.8065, 2-22 Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2-23 2000. 2-24 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.