By Dunnam                                             H.B. No. 1212
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to installment payments of tuition and fees by a student
 1-3     enrolled for a summer session at a public institution of higher
 1-4     education.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 54.007, Education Code, is amended by
 1-7     amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to
 1-8     read as follows:
 1-9           (b)  The governing board of each institution of higher
1-10     education may permit for the payment of tuition and fees during a
1-11     12-week summer term and a 16-week summer term through the following
1-12     alternatives:
1-13                 (1)  for a student enrolled for a 12-week summer term,
1-14     one-half payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of
1-15     the summer term, one-quarter payment before the beginning of the
1-16     fifth class week, and the final one-quarter payment before the
1-17     beginning of the ninth class week; or
1-18                 (2)  for a student enrolled for a 16-week summer term,
1-19     one-half payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of
1-20     the summer term, one-quarter payment before the beginning of the
1-21     sixth class week, and the final one-quarter payment before the
1-22     beginning of the 11th class week.
1-23           (c)  The governing board may assess and collect incidental
1-24     fees for students utilizing payment alternative (2) under
 2-1     Subsection (a) and alternatives (1) and (2) under Subsection (b) of
 2-2     this section and for students delinquent in payments.  The fees
 2-3     must reasonably reflect the cost to the institution of handling
 2-4     those payments.
 2-5           (d) [(c)]  A student who fails to make full payment of
 2-6     tuition and fees, including any incidental fees, by the due date
 2-7     may be prohibited from registering for classes until full payment
 2-8     is made.  A student who fails to make payment prior to the end of
 2-9     the semester may be denied credit for the work done that semester.
2-10     The governing board may not impose on a student any sanction
2-11     authorized by this subsection unless the governing board includes
2-12     in any promissory note signed by a student the following statement
2-13     printed in bold-faced type or in capital letters:  "A STUDENT WHO
2-14     FAILS TO MAKE FULL PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES, INCLUDING ANY
2-15     INCIDENTAL FEES, BY THE DUE DATE MAY BE PROHIBITED FROM REGISTERING
2-16     FOR CLASSES UNTIL FULL PAYMENT IS MADE. A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO MAKE
2-17     PAYMENT PRIOR TO THE END OF THE SEMESTER MAY BE DENIED CREDIT FOR
2-18     THE WORK DONE THAT SEMESTER." The governing board shall notify a
2-19     student of any delinquent tuition or fee payment as soon as
2-20     practicable.  The institution's records may be adjusted to reflect
2-21     the student's failure to have properly enrolled for that semester.
2-22           (e) [(d)]  In addition to other payment alternatives provided
2-23     by this section, the governing board of a medical and dental unit
2-24     or of a general academic teaching institution with a department or
2-25     college of veterinary medicine may provide for the payment of
2-26     tuition and fees at the unit or at the department or college of
2-27     veterinary medicine during any academic year through a one-fourth
 3-1     payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of the year
 3-2     and subsequent one-fourth payments of tuition and fees to be made
 3-3     at periods designated by the governing board.  Subsection (b) of
 3-4     this section applies to tuition and fee payments under this
 3-5     subsection.  In this subsection, "general academic teaching
 3-6     institution" and "medical and dental unit" have the meanings
 3-7     assigned by Section 61.003 of this code.
 3-8           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
 3-9     to tuition and fees charged for a semester or summer session that
3-10     begins on or after the effective date of this Act.
3-11           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-12     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-13     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
3-14     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-15     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.