By Wilson                                             H.B. No. 2483
         77R8601 JSA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the treatment of Texas residents in higher education
 1-3     admissions.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Sections 51.801 and 51.802, Education Code, are
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 51.801.  DEFINITIONS. The definitions provided by
 1-8     Section 61.003 apply to [In] this subchapter[, "general academic
 1-9     teaching institution," "governing board," "medical and dental
1-10     unit," and "university system" have the meanings assigned by
1-11     Section 61.003].
1-12           Sec. 51.802.  UNIFORM ADMISSION SYSTEM. (a)  Each institution
1-13     of higher education shall admit students to the institution and to
1-14     a college, school, or degree or certificate program of the
1-15     institution under the applicable provisions of this subchapter.
1-16           (b)  A general academic teaching institution shall admit
1-17     first-time freshman students for each semester under the applicable
1-18     provisions of this subchapter.
1-19           SECTION 2. Subchapter U, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
1-20     amended by adding Section 51.810 to read as follows:
1-21           Sec. 51.810.  PREFERENCE FOR TEXAS RESIDENTS. (a)  In
1-22     admitting  students to a college, school, or degree or certificate
1-23     program, including a baccalaureate, graduate, postgraduate, or
1-24     professional degree program, for a particular academic period, an
 2-1     institution of higher education may not admit or offer to admit any
 2-2     person who is not a Texas resident for purposes of tuition under
 2-3     Subchapter B, Chapter 54, unless the institution has previously
 2-4     made a written offer of admission to each applicant for admission
 2-5     to the college, school, or program who:
 2-6                 (1)  submits a complete application within the time
 2-7     provided by the institution for applying for admission to the
 2-8     college, school, or program for that academic period;
 2-9                 (2)  is a Texas resident for purposes of tuition under
2-10     Subchapter B, Chapter 54; and
2-11                 (3)  meets the minimum qualifications for admission to
2-12     the college, school, or program determined according to the
2-13     institution's rules and any publicly available catalog or similar
2-14     document governing admission to the college, school, or program.
2-15           (b)  For purposes of this section:
2-16                 (1)  a person's status as a Texas resident is
2-17     determined as of the date the person would first enroll in the
2-18     college, school, or program if admitted; and
2-19                 (2)  a person is not a Texas resident for purposes of
2-20     tuition under Subchapter B, Chapter 54, solely because the person
2-21     is eligible to pay tuition at the resident tuition rate.
2-22           SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies to all
2-23     admissions made on or after the effective date of this Act, except
2-24     that an institution of higher education may admit a person who is
2-25     not a Texas resident to a college, school, or degree or certificate
2-26     program without complying with Section 51.810, Education Code, as
2-27     added by this Act, if the institution made an offer of admission to
 3-1     the person before the effective date of this Act.
 3-2           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 3-3     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 3-4     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 3-5     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 3-6     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.