1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the authority of a governing board of a public
1-3 institution of higher education to reduce tuition or prorate fees
1-4 charged to a student at that institution.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
1-7 amended by adding Section 54.010 to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 54.010. REDUCTION IN TUITION. (a) The governing board
1-9 of an institution of higher education may reduce the amount of
1-10 tuition charged to a student under this chapter to an amount less
1-11 than the amount otherwise required by this chapter if the board:
1-12 (1) offers the tuition reduction to the student as
1-13 part of an institutional policy adopted by the board to:
1-14 (A) increase the average semester credit hour
1-15 course load of students enrolled at the institution; or
1-16 (B) improve the retention and graduation rate of
1-17 students enrolled at the institution; and
1-18 (2) determines that the student is:
1-19 (A) enrolled in, and making satisfactory
1-20 progress toward completion of, a degree program offered at the
1-21 institution; and
1-22 (B) enrolled in at least 15 semester credit
1-23 hours at the institution during the semester or term for which the
1-24 reduction is offered.
2-1 (b) The governing board may offer a tuition reduction under
2-2 this section in a fixed dollar amount, a percentage amount, or any
2-3 other manner that the board considers appropriate.
2-4 (c) The amount of tuition reduction offered to a student
2-5 under this section for a semester or term may not exceed the amount
2-6 of tuition that would have been charged to the student under this
2-7 chapter for enrollment in three semester credit hours during that
2-8 semester or term.
2-9 (d) For a tuition reduction offered to a student under this
2-10 section, the governing board may prorate the amount of the
2-11 reduction based on:
2-12 (1) the number of semester credit hours in which the
2-13 student is enrolled; or
2-14 (2) the length of the semester or term for which the
2-15 student is enrolled.
2-16 (e) The governing board is not required to offer a tuition
2-17 reduction under this section to all institutions of higher
2-18 education under its governance or to all degree programs offered at
2-19 an institution of higher education under its governance.
2-20 SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
2-21 amended by adding Section 54.5025 to read as follows:
2-22 Sec. 54.5025. PRORATION OF FEES. Based on the length of the
2-23 semester or term for which a student is enrolled, the governing
2-24 board of an institution of higher education may prorate the amount
2-25 of any fee charged to the student under this chapter.
2-26 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect beginning with tuition and
2-27 fees charged for the 1999 fall semester.
3-1 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-7 passage, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3138 was passed by the House on May
4, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 131, Nays 3, 1 present, not
voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3138 was passed by the Senate on May
20, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor