1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to tuition and fees charged at public institutions of
1-3 higher education.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 54.008, Education Code, is amended by
1-6 amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsection (g) to read
1-7 as follows:
1-8 (a) The tuition rates provided by Subchapter B of this
1-9 chapter are minimum rates. Except as provided by Subsections
1-10 [Subsection] (e), (f), and (g), the governing board of each
1-11 institution of higher education shall set tuition for graduate
1-12 programs for that institution at a rate that is at least equal to
1-13 that prescribed by Subchapter B [of this chapter], but that is not
1-14 more than twice the rate prescribed by Subchapter B [of this
1-15 chapter]. Between the maximum and minimum rates, the board may set
1-16 the differential tuition among programs offered by an institution
1-17 of higher education.
1-18 (f) The governing board of an institution of higher
1-19 education shall set tuition for an undergraduate pharmacy program
1-20 at the institution at a rate that is at least equal to the rate
1-21 prescribed by Subchapter B [of this chapter] but not more than
1-22 twice the rate prescribed by Subchapter B [of this chapter]. The
1-23 governing board of an institution of higher education shall set
1-24 tuition for a graduate or professional pharmacy program at the
2-1 institution at a rate that is at least equal to the rate prescribed
2-2 by Subchapter B but not more than three times the rate prescribed
2-3 by Subchapter B.
2-4 (g) The governing board of an institution of higher
2-5 education shall set tuition for a law school at the institution at
2-6 a rate that is at least equal to the rate prescribed by Subchapter
2-7 B but not more than three times the rate prescribed by Subchapter
2-8 B.
2-9 SECTION 2. Section 54.051(c), Education Code, is amended to
2-10 read as follows:
2-11 (c) Unless a different rate is specified by this section,
2-12 tuition for a resident student at a general academic teaching
2-13 institution is $50 [the greater of:]
2-14 [(1) $120 for each semester or 12-week summer session
2-15 and $60 for each six-week summer term; or]
2-16 [(2) $40] per semester credit hour.
2-17 SECTION 3. Section 54.0512, Education Code, is amended to
2-18 read as follows:
2-19 Sec. 54.0512. INTERIM TUITION RATES. (a) Notwithstanding
2-20 Section 54.051 [of this code], tuition for the applicable academic
2-21 years described by this section is as provided by this section.
2-22 (b) Tuition for a resident student at a general academic
2-23 teaching institution is [the greater of $120 for each semester or
2-24 12-week summer session and $60 for each six-week summer term or]:
2-25 (1) [for the 1994-1995 academic year, $28 per semester
2-26 credit hour;]
2-27 [(2) for the 1995-1996 academic year, $30 per semester
3-1 credit hour;]
3-2 [(3) for the 1996-1997 academic year, $32 per semester
3-3 credit hour;]
3-4 [(4) for the 1997-1998 academic year, $34 per semester
3-5 credit hour;]
3-6 [(5) for the 1998-1999 academic year, $36 per semester
3-7 credit hour;]
3-8 [(6) for the 1999-2000 academic year, $38 per semester
3-9 credit hour; and]
3-10 [(7)] for the 2000-2001 academic year, $40 per
3-11 semester credit hour;
3-12 (2) for the 2001-2002 academic year, $42 per semester
3-13 credit hour;
3-14 (3) for the 2002-2003 academic year, $44 per semester
3-15 credit hour;
3-16 (4) for the 2003-2004 academic year, $46 per semester
3-17 credit hour;
3-18 (5) for the 2004-2005 academic year, $48 per semester
3-19 credit hour; and
3-20 (6) for the 2005-2006 academic year, $50 per semester
3-21 credit hour.
3-22 (c) [Tuition for a nonresident student at a general academic
3-23 teaching institution for the 1985-1986 and 1986-1987 academic years
3-24 is $120 per semester credit hour.]
3-25 [(d) Tuition for a resident student enrolled in a program
3-26 leading to an M.D. or D.O. degree is:]
3-27 [(1) for the 1985-1986 academic year, $1,219;]
4-1 [(2) for the 1986-1987 academic year, $2,400;]
4-2 [(3) for the 1987-1988 academic year, $3,600; and]
4-3 [(4) for the 1988-1989 academic year, $4,800.]
4-4 [(e) Tuition for a resident student enrolled in a program
4-5 leading to a D.D.S. degree is:]
4-6 [(1) for the 1985-1986 academic year, $900;]
4-7 [(2) for the 1986-1987 academic year, $1,600;]
4-8 [(3) for the 1987-1988 academic year, $2,500; and]
4-9 [(4) for the 1988-1989 academic year, $3,500.]
4-10 [(f) Tuition for a resident student enrolled in a program
4-11 leading to a D.V.M. degree is:]
4-12 [(1) for the 1985-1986 academic year, $800;]
4-13 [(2) for the 1986-1987 academic year, $1,200;]
4-14 [(3) for the 1987-1988 academic year, $2,400; and]
4-15 [(4) for the 1988-1989 academic year, $3,600.]
4-16 [(g) Tuition for a resident student registered at a law
4-17 school is:]
4-18 [(1) for the 1985-1986 academic year, $24 per semester
4-19 credit hour;]
4-20 [(2) for the 1986-1987 academic year, $36 per semester
4-21 credit hour; and]
4-22 [(3) for the 1987-1988 academic year, $48 per semester
4-23 credit hour.]
4-24 [(h)] Tuition for academic years not specifically covered by
4-25 this section is at the rates provided by Section 54.051 [of this
4-26 code].
4-27 (d) This section expires January 1, 2008 [2002].
5-1 SECTION 4. Section 54.0513(b), Education Code, is amended to
5-2 read as follows:
5-3 (b) In addition to amounts that a governing board of an
5-4 institution of higher education is authorized to charge as tuition
5-5 under the other provisions of this chapter, the governing board is
5-6 authorized to charge as tuition in an academic year an amount not
5-7 to exceed the amount charged under Sections 54.051 or 54.0512, as
5-8 applicable, in that academic year [the following maximum amounts:]
5-9 [(1) $34 per semester credit hour for the 1997-1998
5-10 academic year;]
5-11 [(2) $36 per semester credit hour for the 1998-1999
5-12 academic year;]
5-13 [(3) $38 per semester credit hour for the 1999-2000
5-14 academic year; and]
5-15 [(4) $40 per semester credit hour for the 2000-2001
5-16 academic year and each academic year thereafter].
5-17 SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
5-18 amended by adding Section 54.069 to read as follows:
5-19 Sec. 54.069. BILLING AND NOTIFICATION FOR TUITION. For
5-20 billing and catalogue purposes, each governing board shall
5-21 accumulate all the tuition that it charges under this subchapter
5-22 into one tuition charge.
5-23 SECTION 6. Section 56.053(a), Education Code, is amended to
5-24 read as follows:
5-25 (a) The governing board of each institution shall adopt
5-26 rules providing for the terms of the loan, subject to the
5-27 following:
6-1 (1) the loan must be repaid over a period not to
6-2 exceed 90 days for a loan made for a regular semester or long
6-3 summer session or over a proportionately shorter period for loans
6-4 made for a six-week summer session;
6-5 (2) the loan must be evidenced by a promissory note
6-6 that bears interest at a rate of not more than five percent per
6-7 year; and
6-8 (3) the maximum loan amount per student may not be
6-9 less than an amount equal to the tuition and required fees for the
6-10 courses in which the student is actually enrolling, unless the
6-11 institution determines that a lower amount would be in the best
6-12 interest of the student.
6-13 SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with tuition charges
6-14 imposed for the fall semester, 2001.
6-15 SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
6-16 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
6-17 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
6-18 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
6-19 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2531 was passed by the House on May
2, 2001, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2531 on May 25, 2001, by a non-record
vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2531 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 17, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays
5, 1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________________
Date
__________________________
Governor