By Uher                                               H.B. No. 2159

         75R5923 CAG-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to granting resident tuition status to children or

 1-3     dependents of certain former Texas residents.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 54.055, Education Code, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 54.055.  PARENTS, CHANGE OF RESIDENCE TO ANOTHER STATE.

 1-8     (a)  An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a

 1-9     dependent and whose parents were formerly residents of Texas is

1-10     entitled to pay the resident tuition fee following the parents'

1-11     change of legal residence to another state, as long as the

1-12     individual remains continuously enrolled in a regular session in a

1-13     state-supported institution of higher education.

1-14           (b)  An individual whose parent or guardian was a resident of

1-15     this state for a period of 10 or more consecutive years that ended

1-16     not more than five years before the date a semester or other term

1-17     begins at a state-supported institution of higher education is

1-18     eligible to pay resident tuition and fees for that semester or

1-19     term.

1-20           (c)  An individual eligible to pay resident tuition and fees

1-21     under Subsection (b) is eligible to continue to pay resident

1-22     tuition and fees as long as the individual remains continuously

1-23     enrolled in a regular session in a state-supported institution of

1-24     higher education.

 2-1           (d)  In this section, "guardian" has the meaning assigned by

 2-2     Section 51.02, Family Code.

 2-3           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with tuition and fees

 2-4     charged for the  1997 fall semester.

 2-5           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.