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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a limitation on the total amount of tuition and |
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mandatory fees that a public institution of higher education may |
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charge. |
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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. LIMITATION ON TUITION AND MANDATORY FEES. (a) |
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In this section, "tuition" includes: |
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(1) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by this |
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chapter; and |
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(2) tuition charged by an institution of higher |
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education under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing an |
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institution to establish tuition rates. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 54.0513 and any other provision |
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of this chapter, the governing board of an institution of higher |
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education may not charge during any academic year a total amount of |
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tuition and mandatory fees per semester credit hour that, when |
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combined with the amount of undedicated general revenue funds |
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appropriated to the institution for instruction and operations for |
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that year for each semester credit hour for which a student pays |
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tuition and mandatory fees in that year, exceeds by more than six |
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percent the sum of the total amount of tuition and mandatory fees |
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charged under this chapter by the institution per semester credit |
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hour during the preceding academic year and the amount of |
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undedicated general revenue funds appropriated to the institution |
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for instruction and operations for that preceding year for each |
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semester credit hour for which a student pays tuition and mandatory |
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fees in that year. |
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(c) A semester credit hour taken by a nonresident student is |
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not included in the computation under Subsection (b). |
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(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may |
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permit an institution of higher education to increase tuition or |
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mandatory fees in excess of the limited amount prescribed with |
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respect to each semester credit hour for the tuition and fees by |
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Subsection (b) if, in the academic year for which the increase is |
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proposed, the institution adds an educational program that the |
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coordinating board determines will support one or more goals of |
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"Closing the Gaps," the state's master plan for higher education. |
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The coordinating board shall determine the amount of an increase |
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that may be permitted under this subsection as the coordinating |
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board considers reasonable to fund the educational program. |
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(e) The coordinating board may adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.016, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act, does not affect tuition and mandatory fees charged under |
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Chapter 54, Education Code, for a semester or term before the |
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2011-2012 academic year. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2009. |