83R8461 AED-D By: Larson H.B. No. 2639 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the authority of public institutions of higher education to determine the eligibility of certain persons to pay tuition at the rates established for residents of this state. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 54.0521 to read as follows: Sec. 54.0521. DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR PAYMENT OF TUITION AS RESIDENT. (a) For an academic year, the governing board of an institution of higher education may determine whether a student of the institution who is a resident of this state under Section 52.052(a)(3) and who is not a resident or entitled to pay tuition at resident rates under any other provision of this chapter must pay tuition at the rates established under this chapter for nonresidents. (b) The governing board must make a determination under Subsection (a) not later than February 1 of the academic year preceding the academic year to which the determination applies. The determination applies to all students described by Subsection (a) for the applicable academic year. SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply beginning with tuition charged by an institution of higher education for the 2014-2015 academic year. Tuition charged by an institution of higher education in an academic year before that academic year is covered by the law in effect before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. 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, 2013.