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BILL ANALYSIS |
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By: Hinojosa |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law dictates that a student can only earn up to 30 additional hours of credit beyond the core curriculum of the student's degree plan and still pay in-state tuition. This "30-hour rule" unintentionally penalizes a community college student who earns an associate's degree and subsequently transfers to a four-year institution to seek a higher degree. Since many hours are not transferable, the student can break the 30-hour rule, which then results in higher tuition. This bill seeks to allow and encourage a community college student to attain an associate degree without being penalized upon transferring to a four-year institution.
The purpose of this bill is to add students with associate degrees to the list of exemptions in order for them to be able to continue to four-year institutions without worrying about higher tuition rates toward the end of their college careers.
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
The bill Amends Section 61.0595(d) of the Education Code, to provide that certain hours and credits are not counted for purposes of determining whether the student has previously earned the number of semester credit hours specified by Subsection (a), including semester credit hours earned by the student before receiving an associate or baccalaureate degree that has previously been awarded to the student. The bill also makes the application of this Act prospective.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2009.