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.