SRC-MKV S.B. 743 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 743
77R4500 KEL-DBy: Lucio
Education
3/18/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, 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 in
Brownsville because the satellites are considered part of UT-Houston and
therefore part of Harris County which is not adjacent to Mexico.  As
proposed, 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 the 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, by amending Subsections
(b)-(g) and adding Subsection (h), 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 offered by a
medical and dental unit, as defined by Section 61.003, at an institution,
branch campus, center, or other location 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.

SECTION 2.  Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with tuition charged for the 2001 fall semester. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.