SRC-JXG S.B. 1080 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1080
76R5903 JSA-DBy: Shapleigh
Border Affairs - Special
4/13/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law does not allow a public junior college in a county
that borders Mexico to charge in-state tuition to residents of Mexico
unless the junior college has a partnership agreement with an upper-level
university pursuant to Chapter 51N, Education Code. The El Paso Community
College, which does not have a partnership agreement with the University of
Texas at El Paso, is required to charge students from Mexico a
significantly higher foreign student tuition fee. However, the University
of Texas at El Paso is allowed to charge students from Mexico in-state
tuition, if they demonstrate financial need. S.B. 1080 would authorize the
governing board of a public junior college district in a county that
borders Mexico to charge in-state tuition fees to residents of Mexico who
register for lower division courses, and who demonstrate a financial need. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1080 charges in-state tuition fees to residents of Mexico
under certain conditions.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board in SECTION 1 (Section 54.060(i), Education Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 54.060, Education Code, by adding Subsection (i),
to authorize the governing board of a junior college district that operates
a public junior college in a county that borders the United Mexican States
(UMS) to waive the foreign student tuition prescribed by this chapter for a
student who is a resident of UMS, who registers for lower division courses
at the public junior college, and who demonstrates a financial need after
the financial resources of the foreign student and the student's family are
considered. Requires the foreign student described in this subsection to
pay tuition at the rate charged to Texas residents who reside outside the
junior college district. Authorizes the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board to adopt rules governing the determination of financial need of
students under this subsection. 

SECTION 2. Provides that the changes in law made by this Act applies
beginning with tuition charged for the 1999 fall semester. 

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.