Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB915 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R8121 RDR-F
2	2	By: Blanco S.B. No. 915
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to a limitation on the amount of tuition charged by public
10	10	institutions of higher education.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Section 54.0514 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 54.0514. LIMITATION ON TOTAL AMOUNT OF TUITION. (a)
15	15	In this section, "tuition" includes:
16	16	(1) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by this
17	17	chapter; and
18	18	(2) tuition charged by an institution of higher
19	19	education under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing an
20	20	institution to establish tuition rates.
21	21	(b) Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, the total
22	22	amount of tuition charged by an institution of higher education to a
23	23	student for an academic year may not exceed the total amount of
24	24	tuition that the institution would have charged under this chapter
25	25	to a similarly situated student for the 2025-2026 academic year.
26	26	This subsection does not apply to tuition for an academic year after
27	27	the 2029-2030 academic year and expires September 1, 2030.
28	28	(c) The total amount of tuition charged by an institution of
29	29	higher education to a student for the 2030-2031 or a later academic
30	30	year may not exceed the total amount of tuition that the institution
31	31	would have charged under this chapter to a similarly situated
32	32	student of the institution for the preceding academic year, based
33	33	on the tuition rates in effect for that academic year, as that
34	34	amount is adjusted for inflation according to the inflation rate
35	35	determined under Subsection (d). The institution may not increase
36	36	the amount of tuition charged under this section to a student more
37	37	than once in any academic year.
38	38	(d) Not later than January 31 of each year beginning
39	39	January 31, 2030, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the
40	40	Legislative Budget Board shall publish and certify to the governing
41	41	board of each institution of higher education the inflation rate to
42	42	be used for purposes of this section for the next academic year.
43	43	The inflation rate is the percentage increase, if any, as expressed
44	44	in decimal form rounded to the nearest thousandth of one percent, in
45	45	the consumer price index, as defined by Section 341.201, Finance
46	46	Code, for the preceding calendar year as compared to the consumer
47	47	price index for the calendar year preceding that calendar year.
48	48	(e) For purposes of this section, students are similarly
49	49	situated if they share the same residency status, degree program,
50	50	course load, course level, tuition exemption status, and other
51	51	circumstances affecting the tuition charged to the student.
52	52	(f) This section does not ensure that the total amount of
53	53	tuition charged to an individual student does not increase based on
54	54	a change in the student's residency status, degree program, course
55	55	load, course level, tuition exemption status, or other circumstance
56	56	affecting the tuition charged to the student.
57	57	(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt
58	58	rules as necessary to administer this section.
59	59	SECTION 2. Sections 54.0513(a) and (b), Education Code, are
60	60	amended to read as follows:
61	61	(a) In addition to amounts that a governing board of an
62	62	institution of higher education is authorized to charge as tuition
63	63	under the other provisions of this chapter, the governing board[,
64	64	under the terms the governing board considers appropriate,] may
65	65	charge any student an amount designated as tuition, not to exceed
66	66	the amount that enables the institution to comply with Section
67	67	54.0514, that the governing board considers necessary for the
68	68	effective operation of the institution.
69	69	(b) Subject to the limit provided by Subsection (a) on the
70	70	amount designated as tuition charged under this section, a [A]
71	71	governing board may set a different tuition rate under this section
72	72	for each program and course level offered by each institution of
73	73	higher education[. A governing board may set a different tuition
74	74	rate] as the governing board considers appropriate to increase
75	75	graduation rates, encourage efficient use of facilities, or enhance
76	76	employee performance.
77	77	SECTION 3. Sections 54.0515(e) and (f), Education Code, are
78	78	amended to read as follows:
79	79	(e) It is the legislature's intent that each institution of
80	80	higher education[, as a condition to tuition deregulation under
81	81	Section 54.0513,] reasonably implement the following:
82	82	(1) each institution shall make satisfactory progress
83	83	towards the goals provided in its master plan for higher education
84	84	and in "Closing the Gaps," the state's master plan for higher
85	85	education, or a successor state master plan; and
86	86	(2) each institution shall meet acceptable
87	87	performance criteria, including measures such as graduation rates,
88	88	retention rates, enrollment growth, educational quality, efforts
89	89	to enhance minority participation, opportunities for financial
90	90	aid, and affordability.
91	91	(f) The committee shall:
92	92	(1) meet at the call of either chair;
93	93	(2) monitor and regularly report to the legislature on
94	94	each institution of higher education's compliance with the
95	95	requirements of Subsection (e); and
96	96	(3) receive and review information concerning the
97	97	affordability and accessibility of higher education[, including
98	98	the impact of tuition deregulation].
99	99	SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with tuition charged
100	100	by public institutions of higher education for the 2026 fall
101	101	semester. Tuition charged by an institution of higher education in
102	102	an academic period before that semester is governed by the law in
103	103	effect before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is
104	104	continued in effect for that purpose.
105	105	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.