Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB1808 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R11210 KSD-D
2	2	By: Turner of Harris H.B. No. 1808
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to limitations on the total amount of tuition charged to a
8	8	student by a public institution of higher education.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 54.0514 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 54.0514. LIMITATION ON TOTAL AMOUNT OF TUITION. (a)
13	13	In this section, "tuition" includes:
14	14	(1) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by this
15	15	chapter; and
16	16	(2) tuition charged by an institution of higher
17	17	education under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing an
18	18	institution to establish tuition rates.
19	19	(b) The total amount of tuition charged by an institution of
20	20	higher education to a student for an academic year may not exceed
21	21	the total amount of tuition that the institution would have charged
22	22	to a similarly situated student for the 2008-2009 academic year by
23	23	more than five percent.
24	24	(c) For purposes of this section, students are similarly
25	25	situated if they share the same residency status, degree program,
26	26	course load, course level, tuition exemption status, and other
27	27	circumstances affecting the tuition charged to the student.
28	28	(d) This section does not ensure that the total amount of
29	29	tuition charged to an individual student does not increase by more
30	30	than the amount provided by Subsection (b) based on a change in the
31	31	student's residency status, degree program, course load, course
32	32	level, tuition exemption status, or other circumstance affecting
33	33	the tuition charged to the student.
34	34	(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt
35	35	rules as necessary to administer this section.
36	36	(f) This subsection applies only to tuition charged to
37	37	students for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years.
38	38	Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, for an
39	39	academic year to which this subsection applies, the total amount of
40	40	tuition charged to a student by an institution of higher education
41	41	may not exceed the total amount of tuition that the institution
42	42	would have charged under this chapter to a similarly situated
43	43	student for the 2008-2009 academic year. This subsection expires
44	44	September 1, 2011.
45	45	SECTION 2. Sections 54.0513(a) and (b), Education Code, are
46	46	amended to read as follows:
47	47	(a) In addition to amounts that a governing board of an
48	48	institution of higher education is authorized to charge as tuition
49	49	under the other provisions of this chapter, the governing board[,
50	50	under the terms the governing board considers appropriate,] may
51	51	charge any student an amount designated as tuition not to exceed the
52	52	maximum amount that enables the institution to comply with Section
53	53	54.0514 that the governing board considers necessary for the
54	54	effective operation of the institution.
55	55	(b) Subject to the limit provided by Subsection (a) on the
56	56	amount designated as tuition charged under this section, a [A]
57	57	governing board may set a different tuition rate under this section
58	58	for each program and course level offered by each institution of
59	59	higher education[. A governing board may set a different tuition
60	60	rate] as the governing board considers appropriate to increase
61	61	graduation rates, encourage efficient use of facilities, [or]
62	62	enhance employee performance, or further another legitimate
63	63	purpose of the institution.
64	64	SECTION 3. Sections 54.0515(e) and (f), Education Code, are
65	65	amended to read as follows:
66	66	(e) It is the legislature's intent that each institution of
67	67	higher education[, as a condition to tuition deregulation under
68	68	Section 54.0513,] reasonably implement the following:
69	69	(1) each institution shall make satisfactory progress
70	70	towards the goals provided in its master plan for higher education
71	71	and in "Closing the Gaps," the state's master plan for higher
72	72	education; and
73	73	(2) each institution shall meet acceptable
74	74	performance criteria, including measures such as graduation rates,
75	75	retention rates, enrollment growth, educational quality, efforts
76	76	to enhance minority participation, opportunities for financial
77	77	aid, and affordability.
78	78	(f) The committee shall:
79	79	(1) meet at the call of either chair;
80	80	(2) monitor and regularly report to the legislature on
81	81	each institution of higher education's compliance with the
82	82	requirements of Subsection (e); and
83	83	(3) receive and review information concerning the
84	84	affordability and accessibility of higher education[, including
85	85	the impact of tuition deregulation].
86	86	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
87	87	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
88	88	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
89	89	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
90	90	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.