1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to exempting certain higher education students from the
 1-3     TASP test based on the student's high school grade point average in
 1-4     college preparatory courses.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 51.306, Education Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Subsection (x) to read as follows:
 1-8           (x)  A person is exempt from this section if the person
 1-9     graduates from a public high school or an accredited private high
1-10     school in any state with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on
1-11     a 4.0 scale or the equivalent and completed the recommended or
1-12     advanced high school curriculum established under Section 28.002 or
1-13     28.025 or an equivalent or similar curriculum at an accredited
1-14     private high school or at a high school outside of this state.  The
1-15     exemption is effective only for a student who enrolls in an
1-16     institution of higher education on or before the second anniversary
1-17     of the date the student graduated from high school.  A student
1-18     enrolling for the first time in an institution of higher education
1-19     after the two-year period has elapsed must conform to all
1-20     applicable provisions of this section.  The board by rule shall
1-21     establish standards for determining for purposes of this
1-22     subsection:
1-23                 (1)  whether a private high school is accredited; and
1-24                 (2)  whether a person completed a high school
 2-1     curriculum at an accredited private high school or at a high school
 2-2     outside of this state that is equivalent or similar to the
 2-3     recommended or advanced high school curriculum established under
 2-4     Section 28.002 or 28.025.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  Section 51.306(x), Education Code, as added by
 2-6     this Act, applies only to a student entering an institution of
 2-7     higher education on or after the effective date of this Act.
 2-8           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-9     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-10     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-11     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-12     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2109 was passed by the House on April
         11, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not
         voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
         No. 2109 on May 25, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 2,
         2 present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2109 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on May 17, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
         0, 1 present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  __________________________
                              Date
                    __________________________
                            Governor