Amend CSSB 215 (house committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumbering the remaining SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 54.017 to read as follows:
Sec. 54.017. MAXIMUM TUITION RATE; STUDY. (a) In this section:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or other law, not later than February 1 of each year, the coordinating board, based on the most recent study conducted under Subsection (c), shall establish the maximum amount of tuition that a general academic teaching institution may charge a student for the next academic year.
(b-1) Subsection (b) does not apply to tuition charged for the 2013-2014 academic year. For the 2013-2014 academic year, the maximum amount of tuition that a general academic teaching institution may charge a student for that academic year is $10,000. This subsection expires September 1, 2014.
(c) The coordinating board shall conduct an annual study regarding the affordability of tuition rates at general academic teaching institutions, including a comparison of rates at similar institutions in and outside of this state, the return on investment based on expected salaries of graduates of the institution, and other appropriate economic factors as determined by the coordinating board. The coordinating board shall use the results of its study in establishing the maximum amount of tuition for purposes of Subsection (b).