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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to temporary limitations on the amount of tuition and fees |
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charged by public institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 54.0514 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.0514. TEMPORARY LIMITATION ON TOTAL AMOUNT OF |
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TUITION. (a) In this section, "tuition" includes: |
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(1) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by this |
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chapter; and |
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(2) tuition charged by an institution of higher |
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education under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing an |
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institution to establish tuition rates. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 54.0513 or another law |
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authorizing an institution to establish tuition rates, the total |
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amount of tuition charged by an institution of higher education to a |
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student for a semester or term during the 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 |
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academic year or for the 2023 fall semester may not exceed the total |
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amount of tuition that the institution would have charged under |
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this chapter to a similarly situated student for the 2020 summer |
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term or fall semester, as applicable. |
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(c) For purposes of this section, students are similarly |
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situated if they share the same residency status, degree program, |
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course load, course level, tuition exemption status, and other |
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circumstances affecting the tuition charged to the student. |
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(d) This section does not ensure that the total amount of |
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tuition charged to an individual student does not increase based on |
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a change in the student's residency status, degree program, course |
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load, course level, tuition exemption status, or other circumstance |
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affecting the tuition charged to the student. |
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(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt |
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rules as necessary to administer this section. |
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(f) This section expires December 31, 2023. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 54.5002 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.5002. TEMPORARY LIMITATIONS ON FEE INCREASES. (a) |
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter or other |
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law, in each semester or term during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 |
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academic years and in the 2023 fall semester, the governing board of |
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an institution of higher education may not charge a fee under this |
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subchapter in an amount that is greater than the amount of the fee |
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charged by the institution for the 2020 summer term or fall |
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semester, as applicable. |
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(b) The limitation provided by this section applies to a fee |
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even if an increase in the amount of the fee is approved by a vote of |
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the students, student government, or student fee advisory committee |
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of the institution of higher education. |
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(c) This section expires December 31, 2023. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2021. |