HBA-CBW H.B. 234 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 234
By: Hawley
Higher Education
2/25/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a person seeking to enter a public institution of higher
education as an undergraduate student is required to take the Texas
Academic Skills Program (TASP) test. Some colleges and universities located
in the vicinity of military installations have expressed a need and a
desire to enroll military personnel in their institutions, but have found
that some of these potential students will not even attempt to enroll when
they find out they have to take the TASP test.  House Bill 234 exempts a
student serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the
United States from being required to take the TASP test or, as appropriate,
the Stanford Achievement Test. 

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 234 amends the Education Code to exempt a student serving on
active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States from
participating in the Texas Academic Skills Program.  The bill also exempts
deaf students serving in such a capacity from taking the Stanford
Achievement Test. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage.  The Act applies beginning with the 2001 fall semester.