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                                  * * * * *