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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a fixed tuition rate program for certain students who |
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transfer to a state university after completing an associate degree |
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program. |
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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. FIXED TUITION RATE PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN |
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TRANSFER STUDENTS AT GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(3) "Lower-division institution of higher education" |
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means a public junior college, public state college, or public |
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technical institute. |
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(b) A general academic teaching institution may develop a |
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fixed tuition rate program for qualified students who agree to |
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transfer to the institution within 12 months after successfully |
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earning an associate degree at a lower-division institution of |
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higher education. Under a program developed under this section, a |
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general academic teaching institution must: |
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(1) guarantee to a participating student enrolled in |
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an associate degree program at a lower-division institution of |
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higher education, on successful completion of the associate degree |
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program, transfer admission to the general academic teaching |
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institution within the period prescribed above; and |
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(2) notwithstanding any other provision of this |
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chapter, charge tuition to a participating student for any semester |
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or other academic term at the same rate the general academic |
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teaching institution would have charged to the student during the |
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later of: |
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(A) the fall semester of the student's freshman |
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year at another institution of higher education had the student |
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entered the general academic teaching institution as a freshman |
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student; or |
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(B) the fall semester of the second academic year |
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preceding the academic year of the student's initial enrollment in |
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the general academic teaching institution. |
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(c) A general academic teaching institution that develops a |
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fixed tuition rate program under this section shall prescribe |
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eligibility requirements for participation in the program and |
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notify applicants for transfer admission from lower-division |
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institutions of higher education regarding the program. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |
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* * * * * |