SRC-JBJ, CTC, MKV C.S.S.B. 1466 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1466
By: Bivins
Education
4/12/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

In 1985, the legislature began increasing tuition in small increments.  Due
to the decreasing role of public revenue as a percentage of total
university revenue, public institutions of higher education have had to
rely more on tuition revenue and less on general revenue to cover certain
costs.  C.S.S.B. 1466 amends provisions regarding the tuition rate charged
to students for enrollment at certain higher education entities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority previously granted to each body charged with policy
direction of any public technical institute, public junior college, public
senior college or university, medical or dental unit, or other agency of
higher education is modified in SECTION 5 (Section 56.053, Education Code)
of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 54.051(c), Education Code, to provide that,
unless a different rate is specified by this section, tuition for a
resident student at a general academic teaching institution is $50 per
semester credit hour.  Deletes language regarding the calculation of the
cost for tuition. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 54.0512, Education Code, to provide that,
notwithstanding Section 54.051, tuition for the applicable academic years
described by this section is as provided by this section.  Sets forth the
tuition for a resident student at a general academic teaching institution
for the 2000-2001 academic year through the 2005-2006 academic year and
deletes the provisions for tuition for the 1994-1995 academic year through
the 1999-2000 academic year.   
Deletes Subsections (c) - (h) relating to certain tuition rates for the
1985-1986 academic year through the 1988-1989 academic year.  Redesignates
existing text of Subsection (h) as Subsection (c). Redesignates additional
text of Subsection (h) as a new Subsection (d) to change the expiration
date of the section from January 1, 2002, to January 1, 2008. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 54.0513(b), Education Code, to provide that the
governing board of an institution of higher education is authorized, in
addition to amounts that a governing board is authorized to charge as
tuition under the other provisions of this chapter, to charge as tuition in
an academic year an amount not to exceed the amount charged under Sections
54.051 or 54.0512, as applicable, in that academic year.  Deletes language
relating to maximum amounts that can be charged for tuition. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Chapter 54B, Education Code, by adding Section 54.069,
as follows: 

Sec. 54.069.  BILLING AND NOTIFICATION FOR TUITION.  Requires each
governing board, for billing and catalogue purposes, to accumulate all the
tuition that it charges under this subchapter into one tuition charge. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 56.053(a), Education Code, to require the
governing board of each  institution to adopt rules providing for the terms
of the loan, subject to certain conditions, including the condition that
the maximum loan amount per student is prohibited from being less than an
amount equal to the tuition and required fees for the courses in which the
student is actually enrolling, unless the institution determines that a
lower amount would be in the best interest of the student. 

SECTION 6. Provides that this Act applies beginning with tuition charges
imposed for the fall semester, 2001. 

SECTION 7.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from the original by amending the relating clause.

SECTION 1.  Differs from the original by amending previously proposed
changes to provisions regarding the tuition for a resident student at a
general academic teaching institution. 

SECTION 2.  Differs from the original by amending previously proposed
changes to provisions regarding interim tuition rates to include the
2000-2001 academic year; remove the 2006-2007 through 2011-2012 academic
years, and amend the associated tuition rates.  Amends the previously
proposed change of the expiration date of Section 54.0512, Education Code,
from 2013 to 2008. 

SECTION 3.  Differs from the original by amending previously proposed
changes to provisions regarding the authority of the governing board of an
institution of higher education to charge certain additional amounts. 

SECTION 4.  Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 5.  Differs from the original by amending the conditions whereby
the governing board of each institution is required to adopt rules
providing for the terms of certain loans. 

SECTION 6.  Differs from the original by amending previously proposed
provisions regarding the application of this Act. 

SECTION 7.  Differs from the original by amending previously proposed
provisions regarding the effective date of this Act.