Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB112 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R2207 KSD-D
2	2	By: Dutton H.B. No. 112
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a limitation on the amount of tuition charged by public
8	8	institutions 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 an
21	21	amount equal to 85 percent of the total amount of tuition that the
22	22	institution would have charged under this chapter to a similarly
23	23	situated student for the 2016-2017 academic year. For purposes of
24	24	this subsection, students are similarly situated if they share the
25	25	same residency status, degree program, course load, course level,
26	26	tuition exemption status, and other circumstances affecting the
27	27	tuition charged to the student. This subsection does not ensure
28	28	that the total amount of tuition charged to an individual student
29	29	does not increase based on a change in the student's residency
30	30	status, degree program, course load, course level, tuition
31	31	exemption status, or other circumstance affecting the tuition
32	32	charged to the student.
33	33	SECTION 2. Sections 54.0513(a) and (b), Education Code, are
34	34	amended to read as follows:
35	35	(a) In addition to amounts that a governing board of an
36	36	institution of higher education is authorized to charge as tuition
37	37	under the other provisions of this chapter, the governing board[,
38	38	under the terms the governing board considers appropriate,] may
39	39	charge any student an amount designated as tuition not to exceed the
40	40	amount that enables the institution to comply with Section 54.0514
41	41	that the governing board considers necessary for the effective
42	42	operation of the institution.
43	43	(b) Subject to the limit provided by Subsection (a) on the
44	44	amount designated as tuition charged under this section, a [A]
45	45	governing board may set a different tuition rate under this section
46	46	for each program and course level offered by each institution of
47	47	higher education[. A governing board may set a different tuition
48	48	rate] as the governing board considers appropriate to increase
49	49	graduation rates, encourage efficient use of facilities, [or]
50	50	enhance employee performance, or further another legitimate
51	51	purpose of the institution.
52	52	SECTION 3. Sections 54.0515(e) and (f), Education Code, are
53	53	amended to read as follows:
54	54	(e) It is the legislature's intent that each institution of
55	55	higher education[, as a condition to tuition deregulation under
56	56	Section 54.0513,] reasonably implement the following:
57	57	(1) each institution shall make satisfactory progress
58	58	towards the goals provided in its master plan for higher education
59	59	and in "Closing the Gaps," the state's master plan for higher
60	60	education; and
61	61	(2) each institution shall meet acceptable
62	62	performance criteria, including measures such as graduation rates,
63	63	retention rates, enrollment growth, educational quality, efforts
64	64	to enhance minority participation, opportunities for financial
65	65	aid, and affordability.
66	66	(f) The committee shall:
67	67	(1) meet at the call of either chair;
68	68	(2) monitor and regularly report to the legislature on
69	69	each institution of higher education's compliance with the
70	70	requirements of Subsection (e); and
71	71	(3) receive and review information concerning the
72	72	affordability and accessibility of higher education[, including
73	73	the impact of tuition deregulation].
74	74	SECTION 4. (a) This Act applies beginning with tuition
75	75	charged by public institutions of higher education for the 2017
76	76	fall semester. Tuition charged by an institution of higher
77	77	education in an academic period before that semester is covered by
78	78	the law in effect before the effective date of this Act, and the
79	79	former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
80	80	(b) If before the effective date of this Act a student has
81	81	paid an amount of tuition for the 2017 fall semester in excess of
82	82	the maximum amount permitted by Section 54.0514, Education Code, as
83	83	added by this Act, the institution the student attends shall refund
84	84	to the student the excess amount of tuition paid.
85	85	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
86	86	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
87	87	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
88	88	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
89	89	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.