By Dutton                                             H.B. No. 2712
         76R8813 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the eligibility of certain persons to take a high
 1-3     school equivalency examination.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 7.111(a), Education Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  The board shall provide for the administration of high
 1-8     school equivalency examinations.  A person who does not have a high
 1-9     school diploma may take the examination in accordance with rules
1-10     adopted by the board if the person is over 17 years of age or:
1-11                 (1)  is 16 years of age or older; and
1-12                 (2)  a public agency providing social services to
1-13     [supervision of] the person [or having custody of the person under
1-14     a court order] recommends that the person take the examination.
1-15           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000
1-16     school year.
1-17           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-23     passage, and it is so enacted.