1-1 By: Kitchen, Naishtat, et al. H.B. No. 1465 1-2 (Senate Sponsor - Barrientos) 1-3 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 11, 2001; 1-4 April 17, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-5 Education; May 3, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-6 Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 3, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-8 AN ACT 1-9 relating to a pilot project for reduced tuition rates at certain 1-10 public junior colleges. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 130, Education Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 130.0033 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 130.0033. PILOT PROJECT: REDUCED TUITION FOR CERTAIN 1-15 COURSES. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall 1-16 establish a pilot project to measure the impact of reducing tuition 1-17 for junior college courses offered at times of low enrollment 1-18 demand in order to promote greater access to higher education and 1-19 more efficient use of junior college facilities and resources. The 1-20 coordinating board shall select a reasonable number of public 1-21 junior colleges to participate in the pilot project. 1-22 (b) The governing board of a public junior college selected 1-23 to participate in the pilot project may charge tuition for a course 1-24 or courses at a rate established by the governing board that is 1-25 less than the rate otherwise required by Section 54.051 or other 1-26 law if the governing board finds that the reduced tuition rate is 1-27 reasonably necessary to enable the junior college to make efficient 1-28 use of its facilities or faculty. The finding must be stated in 1-29 the order or resolution establishing the reduced tuition rate. 1-30 (c) Charging tuition at a reduced rate under this section 1-31 does not affect the right of the public junior college to a 1-32 proportionate share of state appropriations under Section 130.003 1-33 for the contact hours attributable to students paying tuition at 1-34 the reduced rate. 1-35 (d) The governing board of each public junior college 1-36 participating in the pilot project shall prepare a report on the 1-37 effects of the reduced tuition on enrollment, facilities, 1-38 scheduling, and costs and shall deliver a copy of the report to the 1-39 coordinating board not later than October 30, 2002. 1-40 (e) The coordinating board shall prepare a report compiling 1-41 the results of the pilot project at the public junior colleges 1-42 participating in the pilot project and shall submit a copy of the 1-43 report not later than December 15, 2002, to the governor, the 1-44 lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, 1-45 and the chair of the standing committee of each house of the 1-46 legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher education. 1-47 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect immediately if it 1-48 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 1-49 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. 1-50 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 1-51 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-52 (b) The pilot project under Section 130.0033, Education 1-53 Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2001 fall 1-54 semester. 1-55 * * * * *