Texas Senate Bill SB1443

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

• Out of Senate Committee: 4/29/09
• Voted on by Senate: 5/4/09
• Out of House Committee: 5/22/09

Caption

Relating to the academic costs charged to resident undergraduate students by general academic teaching institutions and to certain reports regarding certain costs of those institutions.

Impact

The introduction of SB1443 is expected to bring stability and predictability to the financial commitments of resident undergraduate students in Texas. By enforcing these caps on cost increases, the bill seeks to mitigate the financial pressure on families and students, thereby encouraging higher education access and sustainability. Additionally, the bill mandates general academic teaching institutions to submit detailed plans aimed at reducing operational costs, excluding core academic budgets, by at least five percent, which further emphasizes fiscal responsibility within these institutions.

Summary

SB1443 aims to regulate the academic costs charged to resident undergraduate students at general academic teaching institutions in Texas. Specifically, the bill limits the increase in total academic costs to no more than a five percent rise compared to the previous academic year. This limitation includes tuition, mandatory academic fees, and other course-related fees, ensuring that residents are not burdened with excessive cost escalations, especially during fiscal constraints or budget revisions from the legislature.

Contention

Despite its intentions, SB1443 may encounter pushback from educational institutions concerned about its limits on tuition increases, particularly if they argue that rising operational costs may hinder their ability to provide quality educational services. Furthermore, the mechanism for tuition exemptions for first-time freshmen whose household income is $30,000 or less has been introduced, thus adding another layer of complexity to how institutions manage their budgets while attempting to accommodate a diverse student body. Ultimately, discussions surrounding this bill will likely focus on balancing cost control with the need for adequate funding to sustain academic quality.