HBA-CBW H.B. 439 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 439
By: Hupp
Higher Education
2/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law, passed during the 75th Legislative Session, requires most
undergraduate students who enter a  public institution of higher education
to take the Texas Academic Skills Program Test (TASP) prior to enrolling in
course work.  Prior to the 75th Legislative Session, a student could
receive credit for up to 9 hours of course work before taking the TASP.
Since the TASP is administered only a certain number of times during the
calender year, current law may be causing a decline in the enrollment of
military personnel at institutions of higher education. Many members of the
armed forces are stationed at bases for a short period of time and thus may
be unable to sit for the TASP and then enroll in classes.  House Bill 439
exempts members of the armed forces and their dependants from taking the
TASP, and exempts deaf students who meet  the same criteria from taking an
equivalent examination, 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 439 amends the Education Code to exempt a student who is either
a member of the United States armed forces or a dependent of a member of
the United States armed forces, and who has accumulated fewer than 10
college-level semester hours at a public, private, or independent
institution of higher education from participating in the Texas Academic
Skills Program Test. The bill also exempts a deaf student who meets the
aforementioned requirements from taking the Stanford Achievement Test. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage,  or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the fall
semester 2001.