BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 551

By: Cortez

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law requires each school district to implement a program under which students may earn college credit in high school by completing certain advanced courses and allows the college credit to be earned through international baccalaureate, advanced placement, or dual credit courses; articulated postsecondary courses provided for local credit or articulated postsecondary advanced technical credit courses provided for state credit; or any combination of such courses. The law expressly states that a school district is not required to pay a student's tuition or other associated costs for taking such a course, but this provision is set to expire September 1, 2013. H.B. 551 seeks to postpone the scheduled expiration and extend a school district's exemption from the financial burden of assuming the cost of a student's college credit courses.

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

H.B. 551 amends the Education Code to postpone from September 1, 2013, to September 1, 2015, the expiration date of the provision of law exempting a school district from being required to pay a student's tuition or other associated costs for taking a course in a college credit program.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, August 31, 2013.