HBA-SEP, JLV H.B. 1645 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1645 By: Delisi Higher Education 3/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law requires each undergraduate student entering an institution of higher education who does not achieve certain scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills test, American College Test, or Scholastic Assessment Test to take the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test to assess whether the student's skill level is adequate to perform effectively in an undergraduate degree program. There are exemptions from TASP for students enrolled in distance learning outside the state, deaf students, students who have graduated with a baccalaureate degree, and students who are enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less. A student who has accumulated 60 or more semester credit hours at an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education may not need to take a diagnostic test to indicate whether the student's skill level is adequate to perform effectively in an undergraduate degree program. House Bill 1645 exempts from the TASP test requirement, a transfer student who has accumulated 60 or more semester credit hours at an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education authorized to award baccalaureate degrees. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 1645 amends the Education Code to exempt a transfer student who has accumulated 60 or more semester credit hours at an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education authorized to award baccalaureate degrees from participating in the Texas Academic Skills Program. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.