1-1 By: Dunnam (Senate Sponsor - Fraser) H.B. No. 1212
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House March 19, 2001;
1-3 March 20, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Education; April 9, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 9, 2001, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to installment payments of tuition and fees by a student
1-9 enrolled for a summer session at a public institution of higher
1-10 education.
1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12 SECTION 1. Section 54.007, Education Code, is amended by
1-13 amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to
1-14 read as follows:
1-15 (b) The governing board of each institution of higher
1-16 education may permit for the payment of tuition and fees during a
1-17 12-week summer term and a 16-week summer term through the following
1-18 alternatives:
1-19 (1) for a student enrolled for a 12-week summer term,
1-20 one-half payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of
1-21 the summer term, one-quarter payment before the beginning of the
1-22 fifth class week, and the final one-quarter payment before the
1-23 beginning of the ninth class week; or
1-24 (2) for a student enrolled for a 16-week summer term,
1-25 one-half payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of
1-26 the summer term, one-quarter payment before the beginning of the
1-27 sixth class week, and the final one-quarter payment before the
1-28 beginning of the 11th class week.
1-29 (c) The governing board may assess and collect incidental
1-30 fees for students utilizing payment alternative (2) under
1-31 Subsection (a) and alternatives (1) and (2) under Subsection (b) of
1-32 this section and for students delinquent in payments. The fees
1-33 must reasonably reflect the cost to the institution of handling
1-34 those payments.
1-35 (d) [(c)] A student who fails to make full payment of
1-36 tuition and fees, including any incidental fees, by the due date
1-37 may be prohibited from registering for classes until full payment
1-38 is made. A student who fails to make payment prior to the end of
1-39 the semester may be denied credit for the work done that semester.
1-40 The governing board may not impose on a student any sanction
1-41 authorized by this subsection unless the governing board includes
1-42 in any promissory note signed by a student the following statement
1-43 printed in bold-faced type or in capital letters: "A STUDENT WHO
1-44 FAILS TO MAKE FULL PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES, INCLUDING ANY
1-45 INCIDENTAL FEES, BY THE DUE DATE MAY BE PROHIBITED FROM REGISTERING
1-46 FOR CLASSES UNTIL FULL PAYMENT IS MADE. A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO MAKE
1-47 PAYMENT PRIOR TO THE END OF THE SEMESTER MAY BE DENIED CREDIT FOR
1-48 THE WORK DONE THAT SEMESTER." The governing board shall notify a
1-49 student of any delinquent tuition or fee payment as soon as
1-50 practicable. The institution's records may be adjusted to reflect
1-51 the student's failure to have properly enrolled for that semester.
1-52 (e) [(d)] In addition to other payment alternatives provided
1-53 by this section, the governing board of a medical and dental unit
1-54 or of a general academic teaching institution with a department or
1-55 college of veterinary medicine may provide for the payment of
1-56 tuition and fees at the unit or at the department or college of
1-57 veterinary medicine during any academic year through a one-fourth
1-58 payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of the year
1-59 and subsequent one-fourth payments of tuition and fees to be made
1-60 at periods designated by the governing board. Subsection (b) of
1-61 this section applies to tuition and fee payments under this
1-62 subsection. In this subsection, "general academic teaching
1-63 institution" and "medical and dental unit" have the meanings
1-64 assigned by Section 61.003 of this code.
2-1 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
2-2 to tuition and fees charged for a semester or summer session that
2-3 begins on or after the effective date of this Act.
2-4 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-5 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-6 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
2-7 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-8 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-9 * * * * *