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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 4241

By: Raymond

Higher Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Concerns have been raised that the state's tuition and fee waiver for certain adopted students formerly in foster or other residential care is not being used to the fullest extent intended. C.S.H.B. 4241 seeks to address this concern by providing for rules requiring a public institution of higher education to send information about the exemption to each applicant who is determined by information on the application to be eligible for the exemption and for the adequate solicitation of that information on the common admission application form.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 2 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 4241 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by rule to require each public institution of higher education to send information about the tuition and fee exemption for adopted students formerly in foster or other residential care to each applicant who is determined to be eligible for the exemption by information collected on the applicant's application for admission. The bill requires the coordinating board to ensure that each common admission application form solicits from an applicant the information required for an institution of higher education to make such a determination. The bill applies beginning with applications for admission to institutions of higher education for the 2018-2019 academic year.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 4241 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1.  Section 51.762, Education Code, is amended.

SECTION 1. Same as introduced version.

 

SECTION 2.  Section 54.367, Education Code, is amended.

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.

 

SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act to Sections 51.762 and 54.367, Education Code, apply beginning with applications for admission to institutions of higher education for the 2016-2017 academic year.

SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act to Sections 51.762 and 54.367, Education Code, apply beginning with applications for admission to institutions of higher education for the 2018-2019 academic year.

SECTION 4.  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, 2017.

SECTION 4. Same as introduced version.