HBA-EDN, CBW C.S.H.B. 152 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 152
By: Brown, Fred
Higher Education
4/17/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, undergraduate tuition rates are uniform for the spring,
summer, and fall sessions at Texas institutions of higher education.  In
Texas, more classes are taken during the fall and spring semesters than
during the summer session.  Because financial aid is usually packaged on a
nine-month, two-semester basis, there is not as much financial aid
available for summer session students.  Many Texas students spend more than
five years obtaining a bachelors degree, so an incentive to take a larger
course load during a summer session could decrease the time it takes most
students to earn a degree.   Students who graduate in an expedient manner
incur less debt and create less of a financial burden to the state.
C.S.H.B. 152  creates a special summer tuition rate pilot program for
certain students enrolled for a summer term or session at Texas A&M
University and Texas A&M University--Kingsville. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

t is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 152 amends the Education Code to create a special summer tuition
rate pilot program for a resident undergraduate student enrolled for a
summer term or session at Texas  A&M University or Texas A&M
University--Kingsville (institutions) and to provide that tuition, other
than the building use fee redesignated as tuition,  is one-half of the
amount that would otherwise be charged.  The bill prohibits the governing
board of an institution from charging the building use fee redesignated as
tuition to a student in an amount in excess of one-half of the amount the
governing board would otherwise be authorized to charge to the student. The
Act applies to the institutions only if the legislature specifically
appropriates money to the institution for the state fiscal biennium ending
August 31, 2003, to cover the tuition revenue lost to the institution by
the application of the Act.  The Act applies only to a summer term or
session in 2002 or 2003.  These provisions expire January 1, 2004. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 152 differs from the original bill by creating a special summer
tuition rate pilot program (program) for a resident undergraduate student
enrolled for a summer term or session at Texas A&M University or Texas A&M
University--Kingville.  The substitute removes provisions pertaining to the
cost per semester credit hour for a resident student at a general academic
teaching institution.  The substitute provides that the program is
contingent upon the legislature appropriating funds by a certain period.
The substitute applies only to a summer term or session in 2002 or 2003,
expires January 1, 2004, and  changes the effective date to September 1,
2001, from January 1, 2002.