HBA-SEB H.B. 227 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 227 By: West, George Higher Education 2/10/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas college students must take the Texas Academic Skills Program test (TASP) as a condition for enrollment after admission in a public institution of higher education. The TASP test is of a diagnostic nature and is designed to provide a comparison of the skill level of the individual student with the skill level necessary for a student to perform effectively in an undergraduate degree program. A student whose performance is below the standard for the tested skill must participate in a developmental program. Similarly, deaf college students must take the Stanford Achievement Test. At the point of taking the aforementioned examinations, students have already taken college entrance examinations and the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills test (TAAS) during their last two years of high school. H.B. 227 eliminates the requirement for the TASP and the Stanford Achievement Test by repealing those respective sections of law. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Repealer: Sections 51.306 (Texas Academic Skills Program) and 51.3061 (Testing and Remedial Coursework for Deaf Students), Education Code. Section 51.306 currently provides that each undergraduate student who enters a public institution of higher education must be tested for reading, writing, and mathematics skills prior to enrolling in any coursework. Section 51.3061 currently provides that a deaf student who enrolls at an institution of higher education must take the Stanford Achievement Test. SECTION 2. Amends Sections 39.051 (b) and (d) to make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 3. Amends Sections 51.930 (e) and (f) to make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 4. Amends Sections 130.0035 (b) to make conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 5. Effective date: 1999 fall semester. SECTION 6. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.