82R2003 JRJ-D
 
  By: Castro H.B. No. 992
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to excess undergraduate credit hours at public
  institutions of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.907, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (g) and (h)
  to read as follows:
         (a)  In this section, "general academic teaching
  institution," "governing board," [and] "institution of higher
  education," and "public junior college" have the meanings assigned
  by Section 61.003.
         (c)  Except as provided under rules adopted under Subsection
  (d) or by Subsection (g), an institution of higher education may not
  permit a student to drop more than six courses, including any course
  a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher
  education, under circumstances described by Subsection (b).
         (g)  In determining the number of courses dropped by a
  student for purposes of this section, a general academic teaching
  institution may not count a course dropped by a student enrolled in
  the institution if:
               (1)  the student dropped the course while enrolled in a
  public junior college; and
               (2)  the student transferred to the general academic
  teaching institution after earning from another institution of
  higher education:
                     (A)  at least 30 semester credit hours; or
                     (B)  an associate degree.
         (h)  An institution of higher education shall provide
  written notice to each undergraduate student of the provisions of
  this section before the end of the first semester in which the
  student is enrolled in the institution.
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.0595(d), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (d)  The following are not counted for purposes of
  determining whether the student has previously earned the number of
  semester credit hours specified by Subsection (a):
               (1)  semester credit hours earned by the student before
  receiving an associate or [a] baccalaureate degree that has
  previously been awarded to the student;
               (2)  semester credit hours earned by the student by
  examination or under any other procedure by which credit is earned
  without registering for a course for which tuition is charged;
               (3)  credit for a remedial education course, a
  technical course, a workforce education course funded according to
  contact hours, or another course that does not count toward a degree
  program at the institution;
               (4)  semester credit hours earned by the student at a
  private institution or an out-of-state institution; and
               (5)  semester credit hours earned by the student before
  graduating from high school and used to satisfy high school
  graduation requirements.
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  61.0595, Education Code, applies beginning with the funding
  recommendations made under Section 61.059, Education Code, for the
  2013-2014 academic year.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  51.907, Education Code, applies beginning with the fall 2011
  semester.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.