By: Zaffirini  S.B. No. 1233
         (In the Senate - Filed March 6, 2007; March 14, 2007, read
  first time and referred to Subcommittee on Higher Education;
  April 4, 2007, reported favorably from Committee on Education by
  the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 4, 2007, sent to
  printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the general property deposit paid by a student to a
  public institution of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 54.502, Education Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  An institution of higher education may collect a
  reasonable deposit in an amount not to exceed $100 from each student
  to insure the institution against any losses, damages, and breakage
  for which the student is responsible and to cover any other amounts
  owed by the student to the institution [in libraries and
  laboratories]. The institution shall return to the student the
  deposit, less any such amounts owed to the institution by the
  student.  The deposit must be returned within a reasonable period
  after the date of the student's withdrawal or graduation from the
  institution, not to exceed 180 days, that provides the institution
  with sufficient time to identify all amounts owed and to determine
  that the student does not intend to enroll at the institution in the
  semester or summer session immediately following the student's
  withdrawal or graduation or, if the student withdraws or graduates
  in the spring semester, in the next fall semester [The deposit
  shall be returned on the withdrawal or graduation of a student, less
  an amount necessary to cover any loss, damage, or breakage caused by
  the student].
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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