BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 739

By: Harless

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding statutory provisions relating to in-state tuition for the spouses and children of deployed military personnel. There have been reports that ambiguities in certain language may cause members of affected families to be mistakenly charged tuition at the out-of-state rate. H.B. 739 seeks to address these concerns by clarifying the resident status of certain military spouses.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 739 amends the Education Code to require a public institution of higher education to permit a spouse of a member of the U.S. armed forces who is stationed outside Texas to pay the tuition, fees, and other charges provided for Texas residents if the spouse graduated from a public or private high school in Texas or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in Texas and maintained a domicile in Texas continuously for at least one year before the member was assigned to duty outside Texas. The bill's provisions apply beginning with tuition and fees charged for the 2019 fall semester.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.