SRC-HRD C.S.H.B. 767 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 767
By: Junell (Lindsay)
Finance
5-16-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Section 54.211, Education Code, permits youths in the Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services (department) foster care to obtain free
tuition at state-operated colleges, universities, and vocational schools
when they become 18 years of age or older.

Seventy-three youths utilized the tuition waiver in academic year 1993-94,
at a cost of $50,878 to taxpayers.  This number grew to 168 in academic
year 1994-95, at a cost of $102,308 to taxpayers. The figure for academic
year 1995-96 is 217 youths. The tuition waiver program has provided an
incentive for many children in foster care to complete high school and
enter college.
Currently, state law requires that former foster care youths must be 18 or
older to utilize the college tuition waiver.  The department estimates
that this age stipulation affects about 25 youths per year who graduate
high school before their 18th birthday and are ready to attend college.
The department estimates that about 20 children stay in the department
conservatorship while waiting to reach age 18 to take advantage of the
college tuition waiver.  Meanwhile, the state continues to pay for the
foster care of these children.                

H.B. 767 would extend the tuition waiver to a student who enrolls in an
institution of higher learning within a certain time period and who is
under department conservatorship on or after the day the student graduates
from high school or receives a high school equivalency degree, or who is
under such conservatorship on or after the day of the student's 14th
birthday, if the student was also eligible for adoption on or after that
day.   
                                             
PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 767 extends an exemption from tuition and fees at a
public institution of higher education to certain students in foster or
other residential care. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 54.211, Education Code, to provide that a
student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees authorized in this
chapter if the student was in foster care or other residential care under
the conservatorship of the Department of Protective and Regulatory
Services on or after the day of the student's 14th birthday, under certain
conditions, or the day the student graduated from high school or received
the equivalent of a high school diploma; and enrolls in an institution of
higher education as an undergraduate student not later than the third
anniversary of the date the student was discharged from the foster or
other residential care, the date the student graduated from high school,
or the date the student received the equivalent of a high school diploma,
whichever is earliest, or the student's 21st birthday.   

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 1997 fall
semester. 

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage. 
 

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1. 

Amends Section 54.211, Education Code, to provide an exemption of tuition
and fees to a student if the student was in foster care or other
residential care under the conservatorship of the Department of Regulatory
Services on or after the day of the student's 14th birthday, if the
student was also eligible for adoption on or after that day and the
student enrolls in an institution of higher education as an undergraduate
student not later than a certain anniversary or the student's 21st
birthday.