HB 564 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 564 Haggerty Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, a person seeking to enter a public institution of higher education as an undergraduate student is required to take the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test. Military personnel on active duty in Texas are exempt from this requirement, however a person serving in a reserve component of the U.S. military or the Texas National Guard is not exempt from taking the TASP. HB 564 exempts a student, with at least three years service in the Texas National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or is an honorably discharged veteran after August 1,1990, from being required to take the TASP test. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51 of the Education Code to exempt a student who has served on active duty as a member of the Texas National Guard, a student who is currently serving and has served at least three years as a member of the U.S. armed forces, or a student who on or after August 1, 1990, was honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty of the Texas National Guard, the U.S. armed forces, or a reserve component of the armed forces. SECTION 2 notes that a change in law made by this Act applies only to a student who enrolls at a public institution for a semester or summer session that begins on or after the effective date of the Act. SECTION 3. Effective Date - September 1, 2003, unless this Act receives the necessary votes for immediate effect.