1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to allowing students at public junior colleges to pay

 1-3     tuition and fees in installments.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Sections 54.007(a) and (c), Education Code, are

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           (a)  The governing board of each institution of higher

 1-8     education [other than a junior college] shall provide for the

 1-9     payment of tuition and fees during the fall and spring semesters

1-10     through the following alternatives:

1-11                 (1)  full payment of tuition and fees in advance of the

1-12     beginning of the semester; or

1-13                 (2)  one-half payment of tuition and fees in advance of

1-14     the beginning of the semester, one-quarter payment prior to the

1-15     start of the sixth class week, and the final one-quarter payment

1-16     before the beginning of the eleventh class week.

1-17           (c)  A student who fails to make full payment of tuition and

1-18     fees, including any incidental fees, by the due date may be

1-19     prohibited from registering for classes until full payment is made.

1-20     A student who fails to make payment prior to the end of the

1-21     semester may be denied credit for the work done that semester. The

1-22     governing board may not impose on a student any sanction authorized

1-23     by this subsection unless the governing board includes in any

1-24     promissory note signed by a student the following statement printed

 2-1     in bold-faced type or in capital letters:  "A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO

 2-2     MAKE FULL PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES, INCLUDING ANY INCIDENTAL

 2-3     FEES, BY THE DUE DATE MAY BE PROHIBITED FROM REGISTERING FOR

 2-4     CLASSES UNTIL FULL PAYMENT IS MADE.  A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO MAKE

 2-5     PAYMENT PRIOR TO THE END OF THE SEMESTER MAY BE DENIED CREDIT FOR

 2-6     THE WORK DONE THAT SEMESTER." The governing board shall notify a

 2-7     student of any delinquent tuition or fee payment as soon as

 2-8     practicable.  The institution's [University] records may be

 2-9     adjusted to reflect the student's failure to have properly enrolled

2-10     for that semester.

2-11           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect beginning with tuition and

2-12     fees imposed for the fall semester of 1997.

2-13           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-18     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-19     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2747 was passed by the House on May

         2, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not

         voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2747 was passed by the Senate on May

         26, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor