Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1933 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	~~86R27650~~ KJE-F
	1	+	86R4713 KJE-F
2	2		By: Howard H.B. No. 1933
3		-	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1933:
4		-	By: Howard C.S.H.B. No. 1933
5	3
6	4
7	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	6		AN ACT
9	7		relating to authorizing a public institution of higher education to
10	8		include certain textbook costs in the institution's charge for
11	9		tuition or required fees.
12	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	11		SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
14	12		amended by adding Section 54.019 to read as follows:
15	13		Sec. 54.019. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN TEXTBOOK COSTS IN TUITION
16		-	OR FEES CHARGE. (a) In this section, "coordinating board" means
17		-	the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
18		-	(b) The governing board of an institution of higher
19		-	education may establish in accordance with this section and 34
20		-	C.F.R. Section 668.164(c)(2)(i) a textbook affordability program
21		-	under which the institution may include the cost of any textbooks or
22		-	other materials required for a course in the tuition or required
23		-	fees charged by the institution for the course.
24		-	(c) A textbook affordability program established under this
25		-	section must:
26		-	(1) permit a student to opt out of the program,
27		-	including having the cost of textbooks or materials included in the
28		-	tuition or required fees charged to the student; and
29		-	(2) provide a student a means of obtaining textbooks
30		-	or materials not later than the first day of the semester or other
31		-	term in which the textbooks or materials are required.
32		-	(d) For each course included in a textbook affordability
33		-	program established by an institution of higher education under
34		-	this section, the institution shall include in the course catalog
35		-	under Section 54.0051:
36		-	(1) the cost of the textbooks or other materials
37		-	included in the tuition or required fees charged for the course
38		-	under the program; and
39		-	(2) a description of the opt-out provision under
40		-	Subsection (c).
41		-	(e) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
42		-	the coordinating board shall submit to the standing legislative
43		-	committees with primary jurisdiction over higher education a report
44		-	on the aggregate savings to students resulting from textbook
45		-	affordability programs established under this section.
46		-	(f) The coordinating board shall adopt rules for the
47		-	administration of a textbook affordability program established
48		-	under this section, including rules that ensure that each program
49		-	complies with state and federal law regarding confidentiality of
50		-	student educational information, including the Family Educational
51		-	Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g).
	14	+	OR FEES CHARGE. (a) The governing board of an institution of
	15	+	higher education may establish in accordance with this section a
	16	+	textbook affordability program under which the institution may
	17	+	include the cost of any textbooks or other materials required for a
	18	+	course in the tuition or required fees charged by the institution
	19	+	for the course. The institution may establish the program only if,
	20	+	in accordance with 34 C.F.R. Section 668.164(c)(2), the
	21	+	institution:
	22	+	(1) enters into an agreement with a book publisher or
	23	+	other entity to make those textbooks or materials available to
	24	+	students at below competitive market rates;
	25	+	(2) provides students a means of obtaining those
	26	+	textbooks or materials not later than the seventh day of the
	27	+	semester or other term in which the textbooks or materials are
	28	+	required; and
	29	+	(3) adopts a policy under which a student may opt out
	30	+	of having the cost of those textbooks or materials included in the
	31	+	tuition or required fees charged to the student.
	32	+	(b) The cost of textbooks or other materials included in an
	33	+	institution of higher education's charge for tuition or required
	34	+	fees under Subsection (a) is not subject to a limitation placed on
	35	+	the amount of a fee under this chapter or any other provision of
	36	+	this code.
	37	+	(c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt
	38	+	rules for the administration of a textbook affordability program
	39	+	established under this section.
52	40		SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies
53	41		beginning with the 2019 fall semester.
54		-	SECTION 3. Not later than November 1, 2020, the Texas Higher
55		-	Education Coordinating Board shall submit the initial report
56		-	required under Section 54.019, Education Code, as added by this
57		-	Act.
58		-	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	42	+	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
59	43		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
60	44		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
61	45		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
62	46		Act takes effect September 1, 2019.