SRC-MWN H.B. 47 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 47
By: McClendon (Madla)
Education
5/3/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas higher education institutions award fewer baccalaureate
degrees, relative to the number of students enrolled, than both the
national average and many of the most populous states. Although more than
400,000 Texans attend community or technical college, less than one-third
of these students transfer to four-year public colleges or universities in
Texas. Statistics show that students transferring from community or
technical institutions are as likely, if not more likely, than other
students to successfully complete a bachelor's degree. H.B. 47 establishes
an incentive for community and technical college graduates to attend a
four-year institution by requiring each general academic teaching
institution to admit an applicant with a degree from a community college or
technical institute in Texas, contingent upon the institution having space
available for the admission of additional students, who meets certain
requirements.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board and general academic teaching institutions in SECTION 3
of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 51.801, Education Code, as follows:

Sec. 51.801. DEFINITIONS. Defines "public junior college."

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 51U, Education Code, by adding Section 51.8065,
as follows: 

Sec. 51.8065. AUTOMATIC ADMISSION: UNDERGRADUATE TRANSFER STUDENTS. (a)
Requires each academic teaching institution to admit an applicant for
admission to the institution as an undergraduate transfer student if in the
year preceding the academic year for which the applicant is applying for
admission under this section the applicant meets certain conditions. 

(b) Requires an applicant to submit an application before the expiration of
any application filing deadline established by the institution. 

(c) Authorizes the institution, after admitting an applicant under this
section, to review the applicant's record and any other factor the
institution considers appropriate to determine whether the applicant may
require additional preparation for college-level work or would benefit from
inclusion in a retention program. Authorizes the institution to require a
student so identified to enroll during the summer immediately after the
student is admitted under this section to participate in appropriate
enrichment courses and orientation programs. Provides that this section
does not prohibit a student who is not determined to need additional
preparation for college-level work from enrolling, if the student chooses,
during the summer immediately after the student is admitted under this
section. 
 
(d) Provides that admission to a specific institution is contingent upon
the institution having space available for admission of additional
students. 

(e) Authorizes an institution to have requirements for admission to a
particular program or school that exceed a 3.0 average. Requires admissions
to a particular program or school within an institution to be based on the
requirements of the institution. 

SECTION 3. (a) Provides that this Act takes effect immediately and applies
beginning with admissions for the 2002 fall semester. 

(b) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and each general
academic teaching institution to adopt rules or policies relating to the
admission of students not later than January 1, 2002.