By: Eckhardt, et al. S.B. No. 64
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the period for which an applicant for admission as an
  undergraduate student to a public institution of higher education
  is entitled to an academic fresh start.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.931, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to read as follows:
         (c-1)  In considering an applicant for admission under this
  section, a public institution of higher education may choose to
  disregard academic course credits or grades earned by the applicant
  more recently than 10 years before the starting date of the semester
  in which the applicant seeks to enroll, except the institution may
  not disregard any credits or grades earned during the five-year
  period preceding that date. An institution that chooses to
  disregard course credits or grades earned during the additional
  period permitted by this subsection must disregard all course
  credits or grades earned during that period and may not award any
  credit for those courses.
         (c-2)  Each public institution of higher education shall
  adopt, post on the institution's Internet website, and submit to
  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board a policy regarding
  the admissions made by the institution under this section,
  including the period for which an applicant's course credits or
  grades will be considered by the institution under the policy.
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.0595(c), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  For a student enrolled in a baccalaureate program under
  Section 51.931, semester credit hours that were earned by the
  student [10 or more years] before the date the student began
  [begins] the new degree program under Section 51.931 and that were
  disregarded under institution policy as described by that section
  are not counted for purposes of determining whether the student has
  previously earned the number of semester credit hours specified by
  Subsection (a).
         SECTION 3.  Section 51.931, Education Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies beginning with admissions to a public institution
  of higher education for the 2023 fall semester.
         SECTION 4.  Section 61.0595(c), Education Code, as amended
  by this Act, applies beginning with funding recommendations made
  under Section 61.059, Education Code, for the state fiscal biennium
  beginning September 1, 2025, for semester credit hours earned by
  students enrolling in a baccalaureate degree program at a public
  institution of higher education under Section 51.931, Education
  Code, as amended by this Act, for the 2023 fall semester or a
  subsequent semester or term. Funding recommendations for semester
  credit hours earned by a student who enrolled in a baccalaureate
  degree program at a public institution of higher education under
  Section 51.931, Education Code, as amended by this Act, before the
  2023 fall semester 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 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 on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.