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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing information to undergraduate students |
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regarding certain fixed or flat tuition rates provided by certain |
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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. Section 54.016, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) A general academic teaching institution that offers a |
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fixed tuition rate program under this section shall provide |
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information explaining the effect of the program on the calculation |
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of a student's cost per credit hour, including the institution's |
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current fixed tuition rate, and clearly describing the amount of |
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tuition a student would pay for varying course loads covered by the |
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program: |
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(1) to each transferring undergraduate student, at the |
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time the student is offered the opportunity to participate in the |
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institution's fixed tuition rate program; |
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(2) for a student enrolled in the institution's fixed |
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tuition rate program, in materials or correspondence provided to |
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the student each time the student registers for a semester or other |
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term and in each tuition billing statement; |
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(3) on the institution's Internet website; and |
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(4) in any financial aid information provided to |
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students. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.017, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: |
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(h) An institution to which this section applies shall |
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provide information explaining the effect of the fixed tuition |
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price plan on the calculation of a student's cost per credit hour, |
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including the institution's current fixed tuition rate, and clearly |
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describing the amount of tuition a student would pay for varying |
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course loads covered by the plan: |
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(1) to each entering undergraduate student, at the |
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time the student is offered the opportunity to participate in the |
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institution's fixed tuition price plan; |
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(2) for a student enrolled in the institution's fixed |
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tuition price plan, in materials or correspondence provided to the |
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student each time the student registers for a semester or other term |
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and in each tuition billing statement; |
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(3) on the institution's Internet website; and |
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(4) in any financial aid information provided to |
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students. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 54.018 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.018. FLAT-RATE TUITION PLAN. (a) In this section, |
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"institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 61.003. |
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(b) An institution of higher education that offers a |
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flat-rate tuition plan under which the institution charges a |
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student for a specified number of credit hours regardless of the |
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number of credit hours in which the student enrolls shall provide |
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information explaining the effect of the flat-rate tuition plan on |
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the calculation of a student's cost per credit hour, including the |
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institution's current flat rate of tuition, and clearly describing |
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the amount of tuition a student would pay for varying course loads |
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covered by the plan: |
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(1) to each entering undergraduate student; |
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(2) in materials or correspondence provided to the |
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student each time the student registers for a semester or other term |
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and in each tuition billing statement; |
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(3) on the institution's Internet website; and |
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(4) in any financial aid information provided to |
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students. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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