By:  McClendon, Guillen                                           H.B. No. 64 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the automatic admission to public institutions of 
higher education of certain undergraduate transfer students.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 51.801, Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:   
	Sec. 51.801.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter, "general 
academic teaching institution," "governing board," "medical and 
dental unit," "public junior college," "public technical 
institute," and "university system" have the meanings assigned by 
Section 61.003.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter U, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 51.8065 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.8065.  AUTOMATIC ADMISSION:  UNDERGRADUATE TRANSFER 
STUDENTS HOLDING ASSOCIATE DEGREES OR CERTIFICATES.  (a)  In this 
section, "public upper-level institution of higher education" 
means an institution of higher education that offers only 
junior-level and senior-level courses or only junior-level, 
senior-level, and graduate-level courses.
	(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (g), each general 
academic teaching institution shall admit an applicant for 
admission to the institution as an undergraduate transfer student 
if in the year preceding the academic year for which the applicant 
is applying for admission under this section the applicant:
		(1)  received a degree or certificate from a public 
junior college or public technical institute in a program requiring 
at least 42 semester credit hours in the core curriculum, as defined 
by Section 61.821; and
		(2)  completed the degree or certificate program with a 
cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a four-point 
scale or the equivalent.
	(c)  To qualify for admission under this section, an 
applicant must submit an application before the expiration of any 
application filing deadline established by the institution.
	(d)  After admitting an applicant under this section, the 
institution may review the applicant's record and any other factor 
the institution considers appropriate to determine whether the 
applicant may require additional preparation for college-level 
work or would benefit from inclusion in a retention program.  The 
institution may require a student so identified to enroll during 
the summer immediately after the student is admitted under this 
section to participate in appropriate enrichment courses and 
orientation programs.  This section does not prohibit a student who 
is not determined to need additional preparation for college-level 
work from enrolling, if the student chooses, during the summer 
immediately after the student is admitted under this section.
	(e)  Admission to a specific general academic teaching 
institution is contingent on the availability of space within the 
institution for the admission of additional students.
	(f)  Admissions to a particular program or school within a 
general academic teaching institution are based solely on the 
requirements of the institution.
	(g)  This section does not apply to admission to:                       
		(1)  a public upper-level institution of higher 
education;  or       
		(2)  any other general academic teaching institution 
if, with respect to the academic year for which an undergraduate 
transfer student has applied for admission, the institution has 
filled through automatic admission as required by the other 
provisions of this subchapter at least 50 percent of the spaces 
available for entering undergraduate students at the institution.
	SECTION 3.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 
and the governing board of each general academic teaching 
institution shall adopt rules or policies relating to the admission 
of students under Section 51.8065, Education Code, as added by this 
Act, not later than February 1, 2006.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005, and 
applies beginning with admissions for the 2006 fall semester.