MMA H.B. 1820 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS HIGHER EDUCATION H.B. 1820 By: Solis 3-27-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, the Texas State Technical College System is the only state-funded institution of higher education along the Texas/Mexico border that does not exempt Mexican residents from paying out-of-state tuition. Texas State Technical College (TSTC)-Harlingen has signed cooperative agreements with the two principal Mexican Technical High School Systems (DGETI and CONALEP). These agreements provide the structure for exchange activities between the Mexican schools and TSTC. TSTC will be instrumental in meeting South Texas' demand for all high-tech industrial training resulting from the NAFTA agreement. PURPOSE H.B. 1820 would allow the Texas State Technical College System to exempt Mexican residents from paying out-of-state tuition rates. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 54.060(b) and (d), Education Code, to read as follows: Sec. 54.060. RESIDENT OF BORDERING STATE OR NATION OR PARTICIPANT IN STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM: TUITION. (b) Adds language to allow a component of the Texas State Technical College System to exempt a foreign student of a nation adjacent to Texas from paying out-of-state tuition and makes conforming changes. (d) Makes conforming changes to include TSTC System in the program, and adds "certificate or diploma" to what a student may receive in addition to what is stated by the existing law. SECTION 2. Effective beginning with tuition charged for fall semester, 1997. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.