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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to excess undergraduate credit hours at public |
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institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.907, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (g) and (h) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section, "general academic teaching |
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institution," "governing board," [and] "institution of higher |
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education," and "public junior college" have the meanings assigned |
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by Section 61.003. |
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(c) Except as provided under rules adopted under Subsection |
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(d) or by Subsection (g): |
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(1) unless Subdivision (2) applies, an institution of |
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higher education may not permit a student to drop more than six |
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courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at |
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another institution of higher education, under circumstances |
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described by Subsection (b); and |
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(2) a general academic teaching institution may not |
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permit a student to whom Subsection (g) applies to drop more than |
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four courses under circumstances described by Subsection (b). |
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(g) In determining the number of courses dropped by a |
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student for purposes of this section, a general academic teaching |
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institution may not count a course dropped by a student enrolled in |
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the institution if: |
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(1) the student dropped the course while enrolled in a |
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public junior college; and |
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(2) the student transferred to the general academic |
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teaching institution after earning from another institution of |
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higher education: |
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(A) at least 30 semester credit hours; or |
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(B) an associate degree. |
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(h) An institution of higher education shall provide |
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written notice to each undergraduate student of the provisions of |
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this section before the end of the first semester in which the |
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student is enrolled in the institution. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.0595(d), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(d) The following are not counted for purposes of |
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determining whether the student has previously earned the number of |
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semester credit hours specified by Subsection (a): |
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(1) semester credit hours earned by the student before |
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receiving an associate or [a] baccalaureate degree that has |
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previously been awarded to the student; |
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(2) semester credit hours earned by the student by |
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examination or under any other procedure by which credit is earned |
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without registering for a course for which tuition is charged; |
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(3) credit for a remedial education course, a |
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technical course, a workforce education course funded according to |
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contact hours, or another course that does not count toward a degree |
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program at the institution; |
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(4) semester credit hours earned by the student at a |
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private institution or an out-of-state institution; and |
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(5) semester credit hours earned by the student before |
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graduating from high school and used to satisfy high school |
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graduation requirements. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Section |
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61.0595, Education Code, applies beginning with the funding |
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recommendations made under Section 61.059, Education Code, for the |
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2013-2014 academic year. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act to Section |
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51.907, Education Code, applies beginning with the fall 2011 |
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semester. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2011. |