SRC-HRD C.S.S.B. 474 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 474 By: Ogden Finance 2-24-97 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, Texas law allows a spouse and children of a member of the Armed Forces who is stationed outside of Texas to pay Texas in-state tuition fees for higher education in Texas if the spouse and children establish residence in Texas by residing in Texas and by filing with the Texas institution of higher education at which they plan to register a letter of intent to establish residence in Texas. In practice, however, the qualifications for the establishment of residency have been interpreted inconsistently at institutions of higher education in Texas so that in one case a daughter of a member of the Armed Forces was denied residency status, while another daughter of the same member was granted residency status at a different university. This bill sets forth specific guidelines for granting resident tuition to persons residing in Texas who are the children and spouses of members of the Armed Forces stationed outside the state. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 474 sets forth specific guidelines for granting resident tuition to persons residing in Texas who are the spouses and children of members of the Armed Forces who are stationed outside the state. 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 54.058, Education Code, by adding Sections (d) and (i), as follows: (d) Provides that a spouse or child of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States is entitled to pay the tuition fees and other fees or charges provided for Texas residents for a term or semester at a state institution of higher education if the member fulfills certain requirements. (i) Provides that a former member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the former member's spouse or child is entitled to pay the tuition fees and other fees or charges provided for Texas residents for any term or semester at a state institution of higher education that begins before the first anniversary of the member's separation from the Armed Forces if the former member meets certain qualifications. SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the fall term or semester in 1997. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Amends SECTION 1, Section 54.058, Education Code, by adding Section (i), regarding tuition fees for a former member of the Armed Forces or the former member's spouse or children.