Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2304 by Lewis (Relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for students who have been under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would extend the exemption program currently for students in foster or other residential care under the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) to all individuals who are under the DFPS conservatorship and expand the exemption to apply to tuition and fees for all students enrolled in dual credit courses (high school and college). Based on information provided by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, in fiscal year 2008 a total of 2,030 students received exemptions totaling $4,134,826. The majority of the students attended public community college (68%) where the average award was $1,001 and public universities (27%) where the average award was $4,647 per year. Based on information provided by the Higher Education Coordinating Board is it estimated the new exemption provisions would result in institutions forgoing tuition and fees of $171,826 in fiscal year 2010. The amounts would increase in the out years as more students used the exemption.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
758 Texas State University System, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board