87R844 KSD-D     By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 1617       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the automatic admission of certain students to general   academic teaching institutions in The University of Texas System.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 51.803, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (a-3) and amending Subsection (c) to read as   follows:          (a-3)  If The University of Texas at Austin elects to offer   admission to first-time resident undergraduate students under   Subsection (a-1) for an academic year, The University of Texas   System shall:                (1)  to each applicant for admission to The University   of Texas at Austin for that academic year who qualifies for   automatic admission under Subsection (a), offer admission to each   other general academic teaching institution in the system,   regardless of whether the student:                      (A)  is also offered admission to The University   of Texas at Austin under Subsection (a-1);                      (B)  submitted to the other institutions an   application for admission or any additional information required by   the institutions for admission; or                      (C)  paid any application fees required by the   other institutions for the submission of an application for   admission; and                (2)  provide to each applicant described by Subdivision   (1), together with the offer of admission, a written description of   the other general academic teaching institutions in the system and   the degree programs offered by those institutions.          (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (a-3), to [To] qualify   for admission under this section, an applicant must:                (1)  submit an application before the expiration of any   application filing deadline established by the institution; and                (2)  provide a high school transcript or diploma that   satisfies the requirements of Subsection (d).          SECTION 2.  Section 51.803, Education Code, as amended by   this Act, applies beginning with admissions to an institution of   higher education for the 2022-2023 academic year. Admissions to an   institution of higher education for an academic year before that   academic year 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 3.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2022.