bill shortens the wait for an academic fresh start

The text as introduced · 538 words

89R4366 CMO-D

By: Eckhardt, et al.
S.B. No. 365

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the period for which an applicant for admission as an

undergraduate student to a public institution of higher education

is entitled to an academic fresh start.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 51.931, Education Code, is amended by

adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to read as follows:

(c-1) In considering an applicant for admission under this

section, a public institution of higher education may choose to

disregard academic course credits or grades earned by the applicant

more recently than 10 years before the starting date of the semester

in which the applicant seeks to enroll, except the institution may

not disregard any credits or grades earned during the five-year

period preceding that date. An institution that chooses to

disregard course credits or grades earned during the additional

period permitted by this subsection must disregard all course

credits or grades earned during that period and may not award any

credit for those courses.

(c-2) Each public institution of higher education shall

adopt, post on the institution's Internet website, and submit to

the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board a policy regarding

the admissions made by the institution under this section,

including the period for which an applicant's course credits or

grades will be considered by the institution under the policy.

SECTION 2. Section 61.0595(c), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(c) For a student enrolled in a baccalaureate program under

Section 51.931, semester credit hours that were earned by the

student [ 10 or more years ] before the date the student began

[ begins ] the new degree program under Section 51.931 and that were

disregarded under institution policy as described by that section

are not counted for purposes of determining whether the student has

previously earned the number of semester credit hours specified by

Subsection (a).

SECTION 3. Section 51.931, Education Code, as amended by

this Act, applies beginning with admissions to a public institution

of higher education for the 2025 fall semester.

SECTION 4. Section 61.0595(c), Education Code, as amended

by this Act, applies beginning with funding recommendations made

under Section 61.059, Education Code, for the state fiscal biennium

beginning September 1, 2025, for semester credit hours earned by

students enrolling in a baccalaureate degree program at a public

institution of higher education under Section 51.931, Education

Code, as amended by this Act, for the 2025 fall semester or a

subsequent semester or term. Funding recommendations for semester

credit hours earned by a student who enrolled in a baccalaureate

degree program at a public institution of higher education under

Section 51.931, Education Code, as amended by this Act, before the

2025 fall semester are governed by the law in effect immediately

before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is

continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.