HBA-MPM H.B. 547 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 547 By: Maxey Higher Education 2/11/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In January 1998, a committee of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recommended that standardized test scores not be used as the primary factor when public state universities considered admissions. Effective in fall 1998, in conformance with this recommendation, students ranking in the top 10 percent of their class automatically became eligible for admission to four-year, public state universities, regardless of their standardized test scores. H.B. 547 prohibits the use of standardized test scores as an evaluation of an applicant for admission to any higher education program or for financial aid. 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. Amends Section 51.924, Education Code, as follows: Sec. 51.294. New title: PROHIBITION ON REQUIRING STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS IN ADMISSIONS. Prohibits an institution of higher education from requiring an applicant for admission to the institution, a degree program, school, or college within the institution to report, submit, or disclose the applicant's test score or other result from the administration of standardized assessment, achievement, or admissions test, including such tests as the PSAT, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, or LSAT. Deletes existing text. SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, by adding Section 56.004, as follows: Sec. 56.004. PROHIBITION ON REQUIRING TEST RESULTS IN FINANCIAL AID DETERMINATION. Prohibits an institution of higher education, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, or any person acting on behalf of these entities from requiring a student or applicant for a scholarship or other financial aid to report, submit, or disclose the student's or applicant's test score or other result from the administration of a standardized assessment, achievement, or admissions test, including such tests as the PSAT, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, or LSAT. SECTION 3. Provides that this Act takes place beginning with admissions or awards of financial aid for the 2000 fall semester. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.