By Delisi                                             H.B. No. 1942
         77R6601 KSD-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to permitting certain military dependents to qualify for
 1-3     automatic admission to general academic teaching institutions.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 51.803, Education Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding a new Subsection (b) and redesignating existing Subsection
 1-7     (b) as Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 1-8           (b)  A spouse or dependent child of a member of the armed
 1-9     forces of the United States who is not assigned to duty in Texas
1-10     but who has previously resided in Texas for a 12-month period is
1-11     entitled to automatic admission in the manner provided by
1-12     Subsection (a) for Texas residents if the person:
1-13                 (1)  graduated with a grade point average in the top 10
1-14     percent of the person's high school graduating class in one of the
1-15     two school years preceding the academic year for which the person
1-16     is applying for admission and graduated from a public or private
1-17     high school in this state or in any other place that is accredited
1-18     by a generally recognized accrediting organization operated in the
1-19     state or other jurisdiction where the high school is located; and
1-20                 (2)  is entitled to pay tuition and fees at the rate
1-21     provided for Texas residents under Section 54.058(d) for the
1-22     academic year for which the person is applying for admission.
1-23           (c) [(b)]  After admitting an applicant under this section,
1-24     the institution shall review the applicant's record and any other
 2-1     factor the institution considers appropriate to determine whether
 2-2     the applicant may require additional preparation for college-level
 2-3     work or would benefit from inclusion in a retention program.  The
 2-4     institution may require a student so identified to enroll during
 2-5     the summer immediately after the student is admitted under this
 2-6     section to participate in appropriate enrichment courses and
 2-7     orientation programs.  This section does not prohibit a student who
 2-8     is not determined to need additional preparation for college-level
 2-9     work from enrolling, if the student chooses, during the summer
2-10     immediately after the student is admitted under this section.
2-11           SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies
2-12     beginning with admissions for the 2002 fall semester.
2-13           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-14     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-15     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-16     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-17     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.