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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an exception to dropped course limitations at public |
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institutions of higher education for courses dropped during a |
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disaster that results in a bar or limit on in-person course |
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attendance. |
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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 Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (e-2) to read as |
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follows: |
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(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules under which 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 exists for dropping more than that |
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number, including: |
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(1) the student's [a] showing of: |
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(A) [(1)] a severe illness or other debilitating |
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condition that affects the student's ability to satisfactorily |
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complete a course; |
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(B) [(2)] the student's responsibility for the |
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care of a sick, injured, or needy person if the provision of care |
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affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete a course; |
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(C) [(3)] the death of a person who: |
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(i) [(A)] 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 paragraph [subdivision]; or |
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(ii) [(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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(D) [(4)] the active duty service as a member of |
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the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States |
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of: |
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(i) [(A)] the student; or |
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(ii) [(B)] a person who is considered to be a |
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member of the student's family under a rule adopted under this |
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subsection for purposes of this paragraph; or |
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(2) a disaster declared by the governor under Section |
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418.014, Government Code, resulting in a bar or limit on in-person |
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course attendance at the institution [subdivision]. |
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(e-2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, |
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an institution of higher education may not count toward the number |
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of courses permitted to be dropped under Subsection (c) or a policy |
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adopted under Subsection (d) a course dropped by a student during |
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the 2020 spring semester or summer term or the 2020-2021 academic |
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year because of a bar or limit on in-person course attendance at the |
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institution during the applicable semester or term due to the |
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coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.907(e), Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2021 fall 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, 2021. |