82R6432 KEL-F

By: Eltife S.B. No. 1272

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to tuition rates and formula funding for certain nonresident students enrolled at Texas A&M University--Texarkana.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 54.060(a) and (f), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The nonresident tuition fee prescribed by this chapter does not apply to a nonresident student who is a resident of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, or Oklahoma and who registers in Texas A&M University--Texarkana [a public upper-level institution of higher education], Lamar State College--Orange, Lamar State College--Port Arthur, a Texas public junior college, or a public technical institute, if the institution [that] is situated in a county immediately adjacent to the state in which the nonresident student resides. The nonresident tuition fee prescribed by this chapter does not apply to a nonresident student who is a resident of New Mexico or Oklahoma and who registers in a public technical institute that is situated in a county that is within 100 miles of the state in which the nonresident student resides and who is admitted for the purpose of utilizing available instructional facilities. The nonresident student described in this subsection shall pay an amount equivalent to the amount charged a Texas student registered at a similar school in the state in which the nonresident student resides. [For purposes of this subsection, "public upper-level institution of higher education" means an institution of higher education that offers only junior-level and senior-level courses or only junior-level, senior-level, and graduate-level courses.]

(f) The payment of resident tuition at Texas A&M University--Texarkana, Lamar State College--Orange, Lamar State College--Port Arthur, or a public technical institute as authorized by Subsection (a) or at an institution of higher education as authorized by Subsection (g) does not affect the constitutionally dedicated funding to which institutions of higher education are entitled under Article VII, Section 17, of the Texas Constitution.

SECTION 2. Section 61.059, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (n) to read as follows:

(n) In the formula applicable to Texas A&M University--Texarkana for funding instruction and operations, the board shall include any semester credit hours taught through distance education to students enrolled at that university who reside in another state and:

(1) as permitted by Section 54.060(a), pay tuition at the rate charged to residents of this state; and

(2) reside in a county in the other state that is contiguous to the county in which the university is located.

SECTION 3. 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, 2011.