Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1531 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1531
	1	+	By: West S.B. No. 1531
	2	+	(Turner of Tarrant)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to formula funding for excess undergraduate credit hours
6	8		at public institutions of higher education and to the tuition rate
7	9		that may be charged for those credit hours.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. Section 54.014, Education Code, is amended by
10	12		amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to
11	13		read as follows:
12	14		(a) An institution of higher education may charge a resident
13	15		undergraduate student tuition at a higher rate than the rate
14	16		charged to other resident undergraduate students, not to exceed the
15	17		rate charged to nonresident undergraduate students, if before the
16	18		semester or other academic session begins the student has
17	19		previously attempted a number of semester credit hours for courses
18	20		taken at any institution of higher education while classified as a
19	21		resident student for tuition purposes that exceeds [by at least 30
20	22		hours] the number of semester credit hours required for completion
21	23		of the degree program in which the student is enrolled by at least:
22	24		(1) for an associate degree program, 15 hours; or
23	25		(2) for a baccalaureate degree program, 30 hours.
24	26		(a-1) For purposes of Subsection (a) [this subsection], an
25	27		undergraduate student who is not enrolled in a degree program is
26	28		considered to be enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program [or
27	29		programs requiring a minimum of 120 semester credit hours,
28	30		including minors and double majors, and for completion of any
29	31		certificate or other special program in which the student is also
30	32		enrolled, including a program with a study-abroad component].
31	33		(a-2) An institution of higher education that charges
32	34		students tuition at a higher rate under Subsection (a) [this
33	35		subsection] may adopt a policy under which the institution exempts
34	36		from the payment of that higher rate a student that is subject to
35	37		the payment of the higher rate solely as a result of hardship as
36	38		determined by the institution under the policy.
37	39		SECTION 2. Sections 61.0595(a) and (b), Education Code, are
38	40		amended to read as follows:
39	41		(a) In the formulas established under Section 61.059, the
40	42		board may not include funding for semester credit hours earned by a
41	43		resident undergraduate student who before the semester or other
42	44		academic session begins has previously attempted a number of
43	45		semester credit hours for courses taken at any institution of
44	46		higher education while classified as a resident student for tuition
45	47		purposes that exceeds [by at least 30 hours] the number of semester
46	48		credit hours required for completion of the degree program or
47	49		programs in which the student is enrolled, including minors and
48	50		double majors, and for completion of any certificate or other
49	51		special program in which the student is also enrolled, including a
50	52		program with a study-abroad component, by at least:
51	53		(1) for an associate degree program, 15 hours; or
52	54		(2) for a baccalaureate degree program, 30 hours.
53	55		(b) For purposes of Subsection (a), an undergraduate
54	56		student who is not enrolled in a degree program is considered to be
55	57		enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program [requiring a minimum of
56	58		120 semester credit hours].
57		-	SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Section
58		-	54.014, Education Code, applies beginning with tuition charged to
59		-	students enrolling for the first time in an associate degree
60		-	program at a public institution of higher education for the 2023
61		-	fall semester. Tuition charged to a student who first enrolled in
62		-	an associate degree program at a public institution of higher
63		-	education before the 2023 fall semester is governed by the law in
64		-	effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the
65		-	former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
66		-	SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act to Section
67		-	61.0595, Education Code, applies beginning with funding
68		-	recommendations made under Section 61.059, Education Code, for the
69		-	state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2023, for semester
70		-	credit hours earned by students initially enrolling in an associate
71		-	degree program at a public institution of higher education for the
72		-	2023 fall semester or a subsequent semester or term. Funding
73		-	recommendations for semester credit hours earned by a student who
74		-	initially enrolled in an associate degree program at a public
75		-	institution of higher education before the 2023 fall semester are
76		-	governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
77		-	of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
78		-	purpose.
	59	+	SECTION 3. Section 54.014, Education Code, as amended by
	60	+	this Act, applies beginning with tuition charged for the 2023 fall
	61	+	semester.
	62	+	SECTION 4. Section 61.0595, Education Code, as amended by
	63	+	this Act, applies beginning with funding recommendations made under
	64	+	Section 61.059, Education Code, for the state fiscal biennium
	65	+	beginning September 1, 2023.
79	66		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
80		-	______________________________ ______________________________
81		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
82		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1531 passed the Senate on
83		-	April 19, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
84		-	the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 2021, by the
85		-	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
86		-	______________________________
87		-	Secretary of the Senate
88		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1531 passed the House, with
89		-	amendment, on May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 73,
90		-	Nays 72, one present not voting.
91		-	______________________________
92		-	Chief Clerk of the House
93		-	Approved:
94		-	______________________________
95		-	Date
96		-	______________________________
97		-	Governor