LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 21, 2009

TO:	Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1764 by Watson (relating to the dissemination of information regarding the cost of attending  public and private institutions of higher education and regarding the availability of financial aid to assist in paying that cost.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Under the provisions of the bill, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board would be required to provide uniform standards to ensure that information regarding the cost of attendance at institutions of higher education is available to the public in a manner that is consumer-friendly and readily understandable to prospective students and their families.  The Higher Education Coordinating Board would encourage, but not require, private or independent institutions of higher education approved to participate in the tuition equalization grant program to comply with provisions of the bill.

It is assumed the Texas Higher Eduation Coordinating Board and institutions of higher education would be able to absorb any costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill within existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board

LBB Staff:

JOB, KK, RT, GO, SK