SRC-MKV S.B. 743 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 743 By: Lucio Education 5/24/2001 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE Section 54.060 of the Texas Education Code provides that foreign students who demonstrate financial need may pay resident tuition rates at a Texas state university located in a county immediately adjacent to the nation in which the foreign student resides. However, Mexican citizens must pay nonresident tuition at the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston School of Public Health satellite campuses in El Paso and Brownsville because the satellites are considered part of UT-Houston and therefore part of Harris County which is not adjacent to Mexico. S.B. 743 adds courses that are part of a degree program in public health offered by a medical and dental unit, as defined by statute, to the eligible schools in order to correct this unintended exception to current law. The bill requires the course to take place at an institution, branch campus, center, or other location in a county immediately adjacent to the nation in which the foreign student resides. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 54.060, Education Code, as follows: (b) Adds language to provide that the foreign student tuition fee prescribed in this chapter does not apply to a foreign student who is a resident of a nation situated adjacent to Texas, who demonstrates financial need as provided by Subsection (c), and who registers at a general academic teaching institution, as defined in Section 61.003(3) in a county immediately adjacent to the nation in which the foreign student resides. Adds language providing that the student tuition fee does not apply for courses that are part of a degree program in public health and are conducted in a county immediately adjacent to the nation in which the foreign student resides. Deletes language providing that the tuition fee does not apply to a student who demonstrates a financial need after the financial resources of the foreign student and the student's family are considered. (c) Makes conforming changes. (e) Makes a conforming change. (f) Makes a conforming change. (h) Defines "coordinating board," "general academic teaching institution," and "public technical institute." SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 54B, Education Code, by adding Section 54.069, as follows: Sec. 54.069. FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS. Entitles a foreign service officer employed by the United States Department of State and enrolled in an institution of higher education to pay the tuition and fees at the rates provided for Texas residents if the person is assigned to an office of the department of state that is located in a foreign nation that borders on this state. SECTION 3. Amends Section 56.053(a), Education Code, to prohibit the maximum loan amount per student from being greater, rather than less, than an amount equal to the tuition and required fees for the courses in which the student is actually enrolling. SECTION 4. (a) Provides that the change in law made by this Act to Section 54.060, Education Code, applies beginning with tuition charged for the 2001 fall semester. (b) Provides that Section 54.069, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with tuition charged for the 2001 fall semester. (c) Provides that the change in law made by this Act to Section 56.053, Education Code, applies to each emergency student loan made under Chapter 56D, Education Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.