Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1232 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R4986 KSD-D
2	2	By: Swanson H.B. No. 1232
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, fees, and other
8	8	charges charged to students by public institutions of higher
9	9	education.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Section 54.0514 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 54.0514. LIMITATION ON TOTAL AMOUNT OF TUITION. (a)
14	14	In this section, "tuition" includes:
15	15	(1) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by this
16	16	chapter; and
17	17	(2) tuition charged by an institution of higher
18	18	education under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing an
19	19	institution to establish tuition rates.
20	20	(b) The total amount of tuition charged by an institution of
21	21	higher education to a student for an academic year may not exceed an
22	22	amount equal to the total amount of tuition that the institution
23	23	would have charged under this chapter to a similarly situated
24	24	student for the 2015-2016 academic year. For purposes of this
25	25	subsection, students are similarly situated if they share the same
26	26	residency status, degree program, course load, course level,
27	27	tuition exemption status, and other circumstances affecting the
28	28	tuition charged to the student. This subsection does not ensure
29	29	that the total amount of tuition charged to an individual student
30	30	does not increase based on a change in the student's residency
31	31	status, degree program, course load, course level, tuition
32	32	exemption status, or other circumstance affecting the tuition
33	33	charged to the student.
34	34	SECTION 2. Sections 54.0513(a) and (b), Education Code, are
35	35	amended to read as follows:
36	36	(a) In addition to amounts that a governing board of an
37	37	institution of higher education is authorized to charge as tuition
38	38	under the other provisions of this chapter, the governing board[,
39	39	under the terms the governing board considers appropriate,] may
40	40	charge any student an amount designated as tuition, not to exceed
41	41	the maximum amount that enables the institution to comply with
42	42	Section 54.0514, that the governing board considers necessary for
43	43	the effective operation of the institution.
44	44	(b) Subject to the limit provided by Subsection (a) on the
45	45	amount designated as tuition charged under this section, a [A]
46	46	governing board may set a different tuition rate under this section
47	47	for each program and course level offered by each institution of
48	48	higher education[. A governing board may set a different tuition
49	49	rate] as the governing board considers appropriate to increase
50	50	graduation rates, encourage efficient use of facilities, or enhance
51	51	employee performance.
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, or a successor state master plan; 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. The heading to Chapter 54, Education Code, is
75	75	amended to read as follows:
76	76	CHAPTER 54. TUITION, [AND] FEES, AND OTHER STUDENT CHARGES
77	77	SECTION 5. The heading to Subchapter E, Chapter 54,
78	78	Education Code, is amended to read as follows:
79	79	SUBCHAPTER E. OTHER FEES, [AND] DEPOSITS, OR CHARGES
80	80	SECTION 6. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
81	81	amended by adding Sections 54.5001 and 54.5002 to read as follows:
82	82	Sec. 54.5001. LIMITATIONS ON FEE AMOUNTS.
83	83	(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter or
84	84	other law, in any academic year, the governing board of an
85	85	institution of higher education may not charge a fee under this
86	86	subchapter in an amount that is greater than the amount of the fee
87	87	charged by the institution in the 2015-2016 academic year.
88	88	(b) The limitation provided by this section applies to a fee
89	89	even if an increase in the amount of the fee is approved by a vote of
90	90	the students, student government, or student fee advisory committee
91	91	of the institution of higher education.
92	92	Sec. 54.5002. LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF CERTAIN CHARGES.
93	93	Notwithstanding any other law, an institution of higher education
94	94	may not charge to a student for on-campus housing, parking, or
95	95	meals, or for any other on-campus good or service the charge for
96	96	which is set by the institution, an amount that is greater than the
97	97	amount the institution would have charged for that good or service
98	98	during the 2015-2016 academic year, unless the institution
99	99	demonstrates that the increase is justified by an increase in
100	100	underlying costs for the good or service, such as labor or supply
101	101	costs, as demonstrated by an increase in the consumer price index,
102	102	as defined by Section 341.201, Finance Code, and certified by the
103	103	Legislative Budget Board.
104	104	SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with tuition, fees,
105	105	and other charges charged by public institutions of higher
106	106	education for the 2018 fall semester. Tuition, fees, and other
107	107	charges charged by an institution of higher education in an
108	108	academic period before that semester are covered by the law in
109	109	effect before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is
110	110	continued in effect for that purpose.
111	111	SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.