BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 179 By: Ratliff Education 01-25-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Section 54.060(a) of the Education Code provides that a nonresident student who is a resident of a state adjacent to Texas and who registers in any Texas public junior college or public technical institute situated in a county adjacent to the nonresident's home state shall pay tuition in an amount equal to the amount charged a Texas student registered at a similar school in the nonresident student's state. The same reciprocity applies to out-of-state students graduating or completing 45 semester credit hours at a participating junior college or technical institute if they choose to attend or transfer to a public senior upper level institution (an institution offering only junior, senior and graduate level programs) located within the same county as the junior college or technical institute. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 179 provides that nonresident tuition fees at public upper-level institutions of higher education do not apply for students residing in bordering states. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 54.060(a), Education Code, to provide that the nonresident tuition fee does not apply to a student who registers in a Texas public upper-level institution of higher education or public junior college. Deletes the requirement of a nonresident student to pay equivalent fees to those charged Texas students registered at a similar institution in the state in which the nonresident student resides. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 61.003, Education Code, by adding Subsection (16), to define "public upper-level institution of higher education." SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the fall semester of 1995. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.