By Deshotel                                           H.B. No. 2775
         77R8785 KEL-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to an exemption for certain students from the requirements
 1-3     of the Texas Academic Skills Program.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 51.306(t), Education Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (t)  A student is exempt from this section if the student
 1-8     graduated from a public high school in this state at least 10 years
 1-9     before the date of the student's enrollment at an institution of
1-10     higher education.  The institution may require the student to
1-11     successfully complete developmental courses or other developmental
1-12     programs as described by Subsection (f) but may not require the
1-13     student on successful completion of those courses or programs to
1-14     take the test required by this section.  The [An] institution may
1-15     exempt a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student who
1-16     is not otherwise exempt under this subsection and who will be 55
1-17     years of age or older on the first class day of a term or semester
1-18     from the testing requirements imposed by this section as a
1-19     condition for enrollment at the institution [during that term or
1-20     semester in a course].
1-21           SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to
1-22     a student who enrolls at a public institution of higher education
1-23     for a semester or summer session that begins on or after the
1-24     effective date of this Act.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-2     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-3     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-4     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-5     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.