73R3193 SOS-F
By Hochberg H.B. No. 691
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the refund of tuition and fees for courses dropped by
1-3 students at public institutions of higher education.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 54.006, Education Code, is amended by
1-6 amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsection (g) to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 (a) A general academic teaching institution or medical and
1-9 dental unit, as soon as practicable, shall refund the amount of
1-10 <applicable tuition and> fees and tuition in excess of the minimum
1-11 tuition collected for courses from which students drop within the
1-12 first 12 days of a fall or spring semester or within the first four
1-13 days of a summer term. The institution or medical and dental unit
1-14 may not delay a refund under this subsection on the grounds that
1-15 the student may withdraw from the institution or unit later in the
1-16 semester or term<, provided the student remains enrolled at the
1-17 institution for that semester or term. Refunds for courses dropped
1-18 by a student who later in the semester or term withdraws from the
1-19 institution are calculated according to the percentage schedules in
1-20 Subsections (b) or (c) of this Act>. An institution may assess a
1-21 nonrefundable $15 matriculation fee if the student withdraws from
1-22 the institution before the first day of classes.
1-23 (b) A general academic teaching institution or medical and
1-24 dental unit shall refund <a percentage of collected tuition and
2-1 mandatory fees> to a student <students> withdrawing from the
2-2 institution or unit an amount equal to the product of the amount of
2-3 tuition and mandatory fees collected for each course in which the
2-4 student is enrolled on the date the student withdraws multiplied by
2-5 the applicable percentage derived from the following tables:
2-6 (1) if the student withdraws during a fall or spring
2-7 semester or comparable trimester <if such are in effect according
2-8 to the following withdrawal schedule and subject to the provisions
2-9 of Subsection (a) of this section>:
2-10 (A) <(1)> prior to the first
2-11 class day 100 percent
2-12 (B) <(2)> during the first
2-13 five class days 80 percent
2-14 (C) <(3)> during the second
2-15 five class days 70 percent
2-16 (D) <(4)> during the third
2-17 five class days 50 percent
2-18 (E) <(5)> during the fourth
2-19 five class days 25 percent
2-20 (F) <(6)> after the fourth
2-21 five class days None; and
2-22 (2) if the student withdraws <Separate withdrawal
2-23 refund schedules may be established for optional fees such as
2-24 intercollegiate athletics, cultural entertainment, parking, and
2-25 yearbooks.>
2-26 <(c) A general academic teaching institution or medical and
2-27 dental unit shall refund a percentage of collected tuition and
3-1 mandatory fees to students withdrawing from the institution> during
3-2 a summer term <according to the following withdrawal schedule and
3-3 subject to the provisions of Subsection (a) of this section>:
3-4 (A) <(1)> prior to the first
3-5 class day 100 percent
3-6 (B) <(2)> during the first, second, or
3-7 third class day 80 percent
3-8 (C) <(3)> during the fourth, fifth, or
3-9 sixth class day 50 percent
3-10 (D) <(4)> seventh day of class
3-11 and thereafter None.
3-12 (c) Separate withdrawal refund schedules may be established
3-13 for optional fees such as intercollegiate athletics, cultural
3-14 entertainment, parking, and yearbooks.
3-15 (g) A general academic teaching institution or medical and
3-16 dental unit may not collect any amount of fees or tuition in excess
3-17 of the minimum tuition for a course at the institution or unit from
3-18 a student who is entitled to a refund of that amount under this
3-19 section if the student has not paid that amount on the date the
3-20 student drops the course or withdraws from the institution or unit.
3-21 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately, and applies
3-22 only to the refund or collection of tuition and fees that become
3-23 due beginning with the fall semester in 1993. The refund or
3-24 collection of tuition and fees that became due before that semester
3-25 is governed by the law in effect at the time the tuition and fees
3-26 became due, and that law is continued in effect for this purpose
3-27 only.
4-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-7 passage, and it is so enacted.