SRC-TAG H.B. 1621 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterH.B. 1621 By: Flores (West, Royce) Education 5/23/2003 Committee Report (Amended) DIGEST AND PURPOSE In 1995, the 74th Texas Legislature authorized the boards of public community colleges to waive tuition for high school students participating in concurrent enrollment programs. Since that time a limited number of districts have made the decision to provide the waiver. A reason for this limited participation by community colleges is that the 1995 statute provides for an all or nothing decision on granting the waiver. H.B. 1621 amends the statute to authorize community colleges to waive all or part of both tuition and fees, and clarifies that tuition and fees are eligible for waiver. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 130.008(b) and (c), Education Code, as follows: (b) Authorizes a junior college to waive all or part of the tuition and fees for a high school student enrolled in a course for which the student may receive joint credit under this section. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (c) Makes a conforming change. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003. LIST OF COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS Amend H.B. 1621 by adding the following sections. SECTION __: Chapter 130.123(e), Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 130.123(e) In addition to the revenues, fees, and other resources authorized to be pledged to the payment of bonds issued hereunder, each board further shall be authorized to pledge irrevocably to such payment, out of the tuition charges required or permitted by law to be imposed at its institution or institutions, an amount not excedding [$15] 25 percent of the tuition charges collected from each enrolled student for each [regular] semester or [and $7.50 from each enrolled student for each summer ] term, and each board also shall be authorized to pledge to such payment all or any part of any grant, donation, or income received or to be received from the United States government or any other public or private sources, whether pursuant to an agreement or otherwise. SECTION __: Chapter 56.033(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 56.033(a) The governing board of each institution of higher education, including the Texas State Technical College System, shall cause to be set aside: (1) not less than 15 percent nor more than 20 percent out of each resident student's tuition charge under Section 54.051 as provided by the General Appropriations Act for applicable academic year; (2) three percent out of each nonresident student's tuition charge under Section 54.051; (3) not less than six percent nor more than 20 percent out of each resident student's hourly tuition charge exclusive of out of district charges, and $1.50 out of each nonresident student's hourly tuition charge, for academic courses at a public community or junior college; and (4) not less than six percent not more than 20 percent of hourly tuition charges exclusive of out of district charges for vocational-technical courses at a public community or junior college.