By: Zerwas H.B. No. 2483
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a maximum tuition rate under a fixed tuition price plan.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 54.017(h), to read as follows:
Sec. 54.017. FIXED TUITION PRICE PLAN FOR UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS AT CERTAIN GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. (a)
In this section, "general academic teaching institution" and
"public state college" have the meanings assigned by Section
61.003.
(b) This section applies only to a general academic teaching
institution other than a public state college.
(c) The governing board of an institution to which this
section applies shall offer entering undergraduate students,
including undergraduate students who transfer to the institution,
the opportunity to participate in a fixed tuition price plan under
which the institution agrees not to increase tuition charges per
semester credit hour for a participating student for at least the
first 12 consecutive semesters that occur after the date of the
student's initial enrollment at any public or private institution
of higher education, regardless of whether the student enrolls at
any institution in those semesters, and subject to any restrictions
or qualifications adopted by the governing board. For purposes of
this section, one or more summer terms occurring in the same summer
is considered a semester.
(d) Unless the institution does not offer other tuition
payment options, an institution to which this section applies may
require an entering undergraduate student to accept or reject
participation in the fixed tuition price plan offered under this
section before the date of the student's initial enrollment at the
institution.
(e) This section does not require an institution to which
this section applies to offer a variable tuition price plan or other
tuition payment options to undergraduate students enrolled in the
institution.
(f) Fees charged by an institution to a student
participating in a fixed tuition price plan under this section may
not exceed the fees charged by the institution to a similarly
situated student who elects not to participate in the plan, if the
institution offers other tuition payment options. For purposes of
this subsection, students are similarly situated if they share the
same residency status, degree program, course load, course level,
and other circumstances affecting the fees charged to the students.
(g) This section does not apply to the tuition charged by an
institution to which this section applies to a student who enters
the institution for the first time before the 2014 fall semester.
(h) The fixed tuition price plan under subsection (c) of an
institution not offering other tuition payment options may include
a maximum tuition rate. Notwithstanding subsection (c), the
institution’s tuition charges may vary between semesters during
the period covered by the fixed tuition price plan, but the
institution’s tuition charges may not exceed the established
maximum tuition rate.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.