SRC-TAG S.B. 723 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 723
78R1033 JSA-DBy: Williams
Education
3/10/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the tuition rebate program that permits college
students to apply for a $1,000 rebate of his or her college tuition upon
graduation if undergraduate course requirements have been completed
"efficiently," which in some cases means the student has taken as few
classes as possible.  Furthermore, the number of rebates awarded appears
to be low compared to graduation rates at Texas' public colleges and
universities.  As proposed, S.B. 723 exempts up to nine hours of advanced
placement classes from the total of "hours attempted."   This bill makes
the rebate available to more students while furthering the program's goal
of efficiency by easing these requirements in the area of advanced
placement credit. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 54.0065(a), Education Code,  to add an
exception to the provisions governing tuition rebates to provide that, for
purposes of this subsection, only the number of semester credit hours
earned exclusively by examination in excess of nine semester credit hours
is treated as hours attempted.  Makes nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.