SRC-BWC C.S.H.B. 1641 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 1641
By: Rangel (Barrientos)
Education
4-26-2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, minority students and students from rural areas are
underrepresented in the professional and graduate schools of Texas state
universities. C.S.H.B. 1641 establishes certain criteria that may be
utilized in making admission and scholarship decisions. C.S.H.B. 1641 also
requires that the use of standardized tests in admission and scholarship
decisions be utilized within certain parameters.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 51.823, Education Code) and
SECTION 2, and to each general academic teaching institution and each
medical and dental unit in SECTION 2 of this bill. 
 
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Subchapter V,  as
follows: 

SUBCHAPTER V. ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP
POLICIES FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

Sec. 51.821. DEFINITIONS. Defines "general academic teaching institution,"
"graduate program," and "professional program." 

Sec. 51.822. ADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIP FACTORS FOR GRADUATE AND
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS. (a) Authorizes a graduate or professional program of
a general academic teaching institution or medical or dental unit to
consider certain factors in making an admissions or scholarship decision
for admissions into or competitive scholarships for the graduate or
professional program. 

(b) Prohibits an applicant's performance on a standardized text from being
used in the admissions or competitive scholarship process as the sole
criterion for consideration of the applicant. 

(c) Prohibits an institution from assigning a specific weight to any one
factor being considered in the admissions or competitive scholarship
process. 

(d) Requires each general academic teaching institution or medical and
dental unit, within a certain period, to publish in the catalog of the
institution or unit a description of the factors to be considered by the
institution or unit in making those admissions and competitive scholarship
decisions and to make the information available to the public. 

(e) Provides that the requirements of Subsection (c) do not apply to
admissions and competitive scholarships for the 2002 fall semester.
Requires each institution or unit covered by Subsection (c) to make the
required information available to the public and to applicants to its
graduate and professional programs not later than December 1,  2001, for
the 2002 fall semester. Provides that this subsection expires September 1,
2002. 

Sec. 51.823. RULEMAKING. Authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board to adopt rules relating to the operation of admissions and
competitive scholarship processes under this subchapter. 

SECTION 2. (a) Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies
with the 2002-2003 academic year. 

(b) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, each general
academic teaching institution, and each medical and dental unit to adopt
rules or policies relating to the admission of students and awarding of
scholarships not later than December 1, 2001. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from As Filed version by deleting proposed text that authorized an
applicant's performance on a standardized test and other compensatory
criteria to be used in the admissions or competitive scholarship process
only to compare the applicant's test score with those of other applicants
from similar socioeconomic backgrounds, and adds text that prohibits the
use of test score in the admissions or competitive scholarship process.
Adds text that prohibits the assignment of a specific weight to any one
factor being considered in the admissions or competitive scholarship
process.