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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the fixed tuition price plan offered by certain general |
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academic teaching institutions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.017, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) The governing board of an institution to which this |
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section applies shall offer entering undergraduate students, |
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including undergraduate students who transfer to the institution, |
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the opportunity to participate in a fixed tuition price plan under |
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which the institution, subject to any restrictions or |
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qualifications adopted by the governing board, agrees: |
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(1) not to increase tuition charges per semester |
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credit hour for a participating student for at least the first 18 |
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[12] consecutive semesters that occur after the date of the |
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student's initial enrollment at any public or private institution |
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of higher education, regardless of whether the student enrolls at |
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any institution in those semesters; and |
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(2) to provide to any student participating in the |
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fixed tuition price plan: |
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(A) a rebate of tuition charges, in an amount |
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prescribed by the institution, if the student is awarded a |
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baccalaureate degree by the institution within four calendar years |
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after the date of the student's initial enrollment at any public or |
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private institution of higher education; and |
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(B) a rebate of tuition charges, in an amount |
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prescribed by the institution that is less than the rebate amount |
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prescribed under Paragraph (A), if the student does not qualify for |
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a rebate under Paragraph (A) and is awarded a baccalaureate degree |
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by the institution within five calendar years after the date of the |
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student's initial enrollment at any public or private institution |
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of higher education. |
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(c-1) An institution to which this section applies shall |
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provide to each entering undergraduate student, at the time the |
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student is offered the opportunity to participate in the |
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institution's fixed tuition price plan, detailed information |
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regarding the tuition rebates offered by the institution under |
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Subsection (c)(2), including the amounts of those rebates [, and
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subject to any restrictions or qualifications adopted by the
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governing board]. |
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(c-2) For purposes of this section, one or more summer terms |
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occurring in the same summer is considered a semester. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.017, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with fixed tuition price plans offered |
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to entering students at general academic teaching institutions for |
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the 2018 fall semester. Fixed tuition price plans offered to |
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entering students at general academic teaching institutions for a |
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semester or term before the 2018 fall semester are governed by the |
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law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
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that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2018. |