SRC-AAA S.B. 961 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 961 By: Ratliff Finance 4-15-97 As Filed DIGEST Currently, most doctoral programs require about 60 credit hours beyond the masters degree; however, some students accumulate more than the required number of credits. This bill limits the number of hours eligible for state formula funding for doctoral students at 100 semester credit hours. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 961 limits the number of hours eligible for state formula funding for doctoral students at 100 semester credit hours. 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 54.066, Education Code, authorize the governing board of an institution of higher education to charge a resident doctoral student who has more semester credit hours of doctoral work than allowed for purposes of state funding for the current state fiscal biennium. SECTION 2. Amends Section 61.059(l), Education Code, to reduce the semester credit hours which may not be included in any formula under this section funding based on the number of doctoral students to 100 hours from 131 hours. SECTION 3. (a) Provides that the change in law made by SECTION 1 of this Act applies beginning with the 1997 fall semester. Provides that, for the 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 academic year, the number of credit hours for which Section 54.066, Education Code, allows an institution to change tuition at the nonresident rate is 131 semester credit hours. (b) Provides that Section 61.059(l), Education Code, applies only to formulas established under that section for fiscal years that begin on or after September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.