HBA-MPM H.B. 1266 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1266 By: McClendon Higher Education 3/5/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE H.B. 1266 allows a student who has received a degree or certificate from a public junior college or public technical institute, respectively, to transfer to a four-year Texas state university if the student completed the previous program with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. Additionally, this bill allows an institution, upon review of an applicant's record, to determine if the applicant would benefit from additional preparatory coursework or from inclusion in a retention program, and to require a student to attend enrichment courses and orientation programs, if necessary. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Higher Education Board and each general of the state's academic teaching institutions in SECTION 3 of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 51.801, Education Code, to include "public junior college" and "public technical institute" among a list of terms which have the meanings assigned to them by Section 61.003 (Definitions). This section defines "public junior college" as any junior college certified by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in accordance with Section 61.063 (Listing and Certification of Junior Colleges), Education Code, and "public technical institute" as the Texas State Technical College System. SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter S, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.8065, as follows: Sec. 51.8065. AUTOMATIC ADMISSION: UNDERGRADUATE TRANSFER STUDENTS. (a) Requires each general academic teaching institution to admit an applicant as an undergraduate student if, in the year preceding the academic year for which the applicant is applying, the applicant received a degree or certificate from a public junior college or public technical institute in a program of at least 30 semester hours; and if the applicant completed the program with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or equivalent. (b) Requires an applicant to submit an application before the expiration of any application filing deadline established by the institution in order to qualify for admission. (c) Authorizes an institution, after admitting an applicant, to review the applicant's record or any other factor considered appropriate by the institution to determine if the applicant may require additional preparation for college-level work, or if the applicant would benefit from inclusion in a retention program. Authorizes the institution to require a student so identified to enroll during the summer immediately after admission to the institution to participate in the appropriate enrichment courses and orientation programs. Provides that a student who is not determined to need additional preparation is not prohibited from enrolling during the summer after the student is admitted, if the student so wishes. SECTION 3. Makes this Act applicable beginning with admissions for the 2000 fall semester. Requires the Texas Higher Education Board and each general academic teaching institution to adopt rules or policies relating to admissions of students under this section no later than January 1, 2000. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.