86R4977 SOS-D

By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 879

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the automatic admission to general academic teaching institutions of students who complete the early college education program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter U, Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 51.8036 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.8036. AUTOMATIC ADMISSION OF APPLICANTS COMPLETING EARLY COLLEGE EDUCATION PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "early college education program" means an early college education program established under Section 29.908.

(b) A general academic teaching institution shall admit an applicant for admission to the institution who:

(1) graduated from high school in one of the two school years preceding the academic year for which the applicant is applying for admission;

(2) completed the early college education program; and

(3) submits a completed application for admission before the expiration of any application filing deadline established by the institution.

(c) It is the responsibility of the applicant for admission under this section to:

(1) expressly and clearly claim in the application entitlement to admission under this section; and

(2) timely provide to the general academic teaching institution the documentation required by the institution to determine the student's entitlement to admission under this section.

SECTION 2. Section 51.8036, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with admissions to a general academic teaching institution for the 2020-2021 academic year. Admissions to a general academic teaching institution for an academic year before that academic year are governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2020.