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.