BILL ANALYSIS



C.S.H.B. 628
By: Maxey
05-03-95
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND

Presently, graduate students employed as teaching assistants and
research assistants are entitled to register in a state institution
of higher education by paying the tuition and fees and other fees
or charges required for Texas residents under Section 54.051 of the
Education Code.  Graduate students are required to prepare a
master's report, a master's thesis, or a doctoral dissertation as
the final project to complete their degree.  Graduate student
employees are further required, as a condition of employment, to be
registered and pay tuition for at least nine semester hours. 
Typically, graduate students discuss work on their final projects
with their faculty advisors only three or four times a semester. 
Yet, they are required to pay the same amount of tuition as they
did when they were receiving nine hours of classroom instruction
per week.  Therefore, graduate student employees preparing their
final projects are paying for more faculty time than they are
receiving.  


PURPOSE

If enacted, C.S.H.B. 628 allows the governing board of a general
academic teaching institution  to exempt graduate students who are
employed by Texas public universities as teaching assistants,
assistant instructors, and research assistants and are working on
reports, thesis and dissertations from paying tuition fees.


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department,
agency, or institution.


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1:  Amends Chapter 54B, Education Code, by amending Section
54.063, as follows:

     Sec. 54.063. TEACHING OR RESEARCH ASSISTANT.  (b)  The
governing board of a general academic teaching institution may
exempt from the payment of tuition fees a graduate student who is
employed at the institution as a teaching assistant, assistant
instructor, or research assistant;  is researching or writing the
report, thesis, or dissertation required by the student's graduate
degree program; and who is not enrolled in a course with organized
coursework.  (c)  A student considered to be enrolled as a full-time student for purposes of repayment of student loans if the
student is entitled to an exemption from tuition fees under
Subsection (b); or
would be entitled to an exemption from tuition fees under
Subsection (b) except that the student is enrolled in a course with
organized coursework. (d)  The legislature shall compute the local
funds available as if the tuition fees were collected by the
institution.  (e)  "General academic teaching institution" is
defined.

SECTION 2:  Effective date: fall semester 1995.

SECTION 3:  Emergency clause.


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The original bill (SECTION 1, sec. 54.063 (b)) requires the
governing board of an institution to exempt graduate students under
this section from the payment of tuition fees.

The substitute is permissive and allows the governing board of a
general academic teaching institution to exempt from the payment of
tuition fees.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 628 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on
February 21, 1995.

The following persons testified in favor of the bill:
Mr. Christopher Hudson;
Ms. Christine Griffith;
Mr. Ray Watkins; and
Mr. Robert Brian Schlottman.

The bill was referred to the subcommittee on tuition exemptions
consisting of Representative Rodriguez as chair and Representatives
Goolsby and Ogden as members.

H.B. 628 was considered by the subcommittee in a public hearing on
April 26, 1995.

The subcommittee considered a complete substitute.  One amendment
was offered to the substitute.  The amendment was adopted without
objection by a non-record vote.  The substitute as amended was
adopted without objection by a non-record vote.  The substitute as
amended was adopted without objection by a non-record vote.

The bill as substituted was reported favorably to the full
committee by a record vote of 3 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, 0 absent.

H.B. 628 was considered on subcommittee report by the committee in
a formal meeting on May 3, 1995.

The committee considered a complete substitute.  One amendment was
offered to the substitute.  The amendment was adopted without
objection by a non-record vote.  The substitute as amended was
adopted without objection by a non-record vote.

The chair directed the staff to incorporate the amendment into the
substitute.

The bill was reported favorably as substituted, with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed, by a record vote of
5 ayes, 1 nay, 0 pnv, 3 absent.