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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a fixed tuition rate provided by general academic |
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teaching institutions and public junior colleges to certain |
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undergraduate students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 54.016 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.016. FIXED TUITION RATE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "General academic teaching institution" and |
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"public junior college" have the meanings assigned by Section |
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61.003. |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by this section, in a |
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semester or other academic term, the governing board of a general |
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academic teaching institution or public junior college may not |
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charge tuition to an undergraduate student under Section 54.0513, |
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or under any other law granting the institution or college |
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discretion to set the tuition rate, at a rate that exceeds the rate |
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the institution or college charged the student during the first |
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semester or other academic term the student enrolled in the |
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institution or college if the student is currently and at all times |
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while enrolled at the institution or college has been a resident of |
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this state for purposes of Subchapter B or was otherwise entitled to |
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pay tuition at the rate provided for residents of this state. |
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(c) If a student enrolls in a general academic teaching |
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institution after transferring from another public or private |
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institution of higher education, Subsection (b) does not apply to |
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the student after the second anniversary of the date of that |
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enrollment, regardless of whether the student was ever previously |
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enrolled at the institution. For any other student enrolled in a |
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general academic teaching institution, Subsection (b) does not |
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apply to the student after: |
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(1) the fourth anniversary of the date the student |
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first enrolls at the institution, if the student is enrolled in a |
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four-year degree program; or |
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(2) the end of the standard completion period for the |
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degree program in which the student is enrolled, as established by |
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the institution awarding the degree, if the student is enrolled in a |
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degree program other than a four-year degree program. |
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(d) For a student enrolled in a public junior college, |
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Subsection (b) does not apply to the student after the second |
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anniversary of the date the student first enrolls at the college. |
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(e) Each general academic teaching institution or public |
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junior college shall notify each entering undergraduate student, |
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including each undergraduate student who transfers to the |
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institution or college, of the eligibility requirements for a fixed |
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tuition rate under this section. |
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(f) In consultation with the general academic teaching |
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institutions and public junior colleges, the coordinating board |
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shall adopt any rules the coordinating board considers appropriate |
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for the administration of this section. |
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(g) This section does not apply to a student who enters a |
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general academic teaching institution or public junior college for |
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the first time before the 2008 fall semester. This subsection |
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expires January 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |