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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to limitations on the number of courses that students may |
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drop under certain circumstances at certain public institutions of |
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higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 51.907(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), |
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Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section, "governing board," "general academic |
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teaching institution," and "medical and dental unit" ["institution
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of higher education"] have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) This section applies only to an undergraduate student |
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who drops a course at a general academic teaching institution or |
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medical and dental unit [an institution of higher education] and |
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only if: |
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(1) the student was able to drop the course without |
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receiving a grade or incurring an academic penalty; |
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(2) the student's transcript indicates or will |
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indicate that the student was enrolled in the course; and |
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(3) the student is not dropping the course in order to |
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withdraw from the institution. |
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(c) Except as provided under rules adopted under Subsection |
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(d), a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental |
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unit [an institution of higher education] may not permit a student |
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to drop more than six courses, including any course a transfer |
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student has dropped at another institution [of higher education], |
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under circumstances described by Subsection (b). |
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(d) The governing board of a general academic teaching |
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institution or medical and dental unit [an institution of higher
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education] may adopt a policy under which the maximum number of |
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courses a student is permitted to drop under circumstances |
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described by Subsection (b) is less than the maximum number of |
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courses that a student may drop under Subsection (c). |
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(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules under which a general academic teaching institution or |
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medical and dental unit [an institution of higher education] shall |
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permit a student to drop more courses under circumstances described |
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by Subsection (b) than the number of courses permitted to be dropped |
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under Subsection (c) or under a policy adopted under Subsection (d) |
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if the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number, |
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including a showing of: |
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(1) a severe illness or other debilitating condition |
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that affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete a |
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course; |
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(2) the student's responsibility for the care of a |
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sick, injured, or needy person if the provision of care affects the |
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student's ability to satisfactorily complete a course; |
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(3) the death of a person who: |
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(A) is considered to be a member of the student's |
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family under a rule adopted under this subsection for purposes of |
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this subdivision; or |
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(B) is otherwise considered to have a |
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sufficiently close relationship to the student under a rule adopted |
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under this subsection that the person's death is considered to be a |
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showing of good cause; or |
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(4) the active duty service as a member of the Texas |
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National Guard or the armed forces of the United States of: |
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(A) the student; or |
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(B) a person who is considered to be a member of |
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the student's family under a rule adopted under this subsection for |
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purposes of this subdivision. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with the fall 2009 semester. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |