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.