BILL ANALYSIS
By: Gonzales
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, under Texas Education Code, junior college students are not allowed to pay tuition by an installment plan for summer school sessions of less than twelve weeks. This creates an undue hardship on low-income students because in many instances, these students do not have access to other forms of financial assistance.
CSHB 993 would allow governing boards of public junior colleges and public technical institutes the ability to provide tuition installment payment plans for summer school sessions of less than 12 weeks. This bill would provide low-income college students an opportunity to enroll in short summer terms and pay their tuition in installments.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1 - Section 54.007, Education Code, is amended to allow the governing board of public junior colleges and public technical institutes to create a payment plan system for students enrolling in summer courses of less than 12 weeks.
For summer terms of less than 12 weeks, students may be permitted to pay one-half of their tuition and fees before the beginning of the summer term and the remaining amount in one or two later payments on dates determined by the governing board of the college or institute. The final payment must be made before the beginning of the last week of the summer term.
SECTION 2 - Effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act will take effect immediately if it receives the necessary votes, or on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The caption is amended to more accurately reflect the bill. The substitute allows public technical institutes, in addition to public junior colleges, the ability to provide a tuition installment payment plan for summer sessions of less than 12 weeks.