HBA-MPM S.B. 1472 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1472 By: Bivins Public Education 5/6/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law prohibits a person from taking a high school equivalency exam unless the person is 17 years of age, unless the person is16 years of age and under the custody of the state. This disparity between the Job Corps eligibility age and the GED testing age may cause some individuals to drop out of the Job Corps program. S.B. 1472 authorizes students who are 16 and enrolled in the Job Corps program to sit for the GED exam after they have taken the requisite preparatory courses. 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. Amends Section 7.111(a), Education Code, to authorize a person who does not have a high school diploma to take the high school equivalency examination (examination) in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education if the person is 16 years of age or older and is enrolled in a Job Corps training program under 29 U.S.C., Section 1501 et seq. (Job Training Partnership Act), and its subsequent amendments. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.086(a), Education Code, to provide that a child is exempt from the requirements of compulsory school attendance if the child is at least 16 years of age and is attending a course of instruction to prepare for the examination and is enrolled in a Job Corps training program under 29 U.S.C., Section 1501 et seq., and its subsequent amendments. Makes a conforming change. SECTION 3. Makes this Act applicable beginning with the 1999-2000 school year. SECTION 4.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.