HBA-MPM H.B. 3051 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3051
By: Rangel
Higher Education
4/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The nonresident undergraduate tuition rate in Texas can be up to three
times the amount of in-state tuition. This may create hardships for foreign
students from low to middle socioeconomic backgrounds who wish to attend an
institution of higher education in Texas.  Additionally, current law
requires institutions of higher education to adopt rules governing the
terms of emergency student loans.  The maximum student loan amount per
student cannot be less than that equal to the tuition and required fees for
the courses for which the student enrolls, possibly limiting the
availability of financial aid funds for other students.  House Bill 3051
extends in-state tuition rates to students from Mexico who demonstrate
financial need and enroll at the University of Texas at San Antonio and in
certain collaborative courses, as well as to federal foreign services
officers who are stationed in a city on the Texas-Mexico border. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It 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

House Bill 3051 amends the Education Code to provide that the foreign
student tuition fee does not apply to students who register at The
University of Texas at San Antonio or in courses that are a part of a
collaborative degree program by two or more institutions of higher
education through distance learning. 

The bill entitles a foreign service officer employed by the United States
Department of State who is enrolled in an institution of higher education
to pay tuition and fees at the rate paid by Texas residents if the person
is assigned to an office of the department of state that is located in a
foreign nation bordering Texas. 

H.B. 3051 requires the governing board of each institution of higher
education to adopt rules providing for terms of an emergency loan so that
the maximum loan amount per student may not be greater than rather than
less than the amount of tuition and fees for the courses in which the
student is actually enrolling. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. The provisions relating to foreign service
officers apply beginning fall semester 2001.