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.