Bill Text: TX HB1232 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a limitation on the amount of tuition, fees, and other charges charged to students by public institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-22 - Referred to Higher Education [HB1232 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB1232-Introduced.html
85R4986 KSD-D | ||
By: Swanson | H.B. No. 1232 |
|
||
|
||
relating to a limitation on the amount of tuition, fees, and other | ||
charges charged to students by public institutions of higher | ||
education. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 54.0514 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 54.0514. LIMITATION ON TOTAL AMOUNT OF TUITION. (a) | ||
In this section, "tuition" includes: | ||
(1) tuition for which the rates are prescribed by this | ||
chapter; and | ||
(2) tuition charged by an institution of higher | ||
education under Section 54.0513 or another law authorizing an | ||
institution to establish tuition rates. | ||
(b) The total amount of tuition charged by an institution of | ||
higher education to a student for an academic year may not exceed an | ||
amount equal to the total amount of tuition that the institution | ||
would have charged under this chapter to a similarly situated | ||
student for the 2015-2016 academic year. For purposes of this | ||
subsection, students are similarly situated if they share the same | ||
residency status, degree program, course load, course level, | ||
tuition exemption status, and other circumstances affecting the | ||
tuition charged to the student. This subsection does not ensure | ||
that the total amount of tuition charged to an individual student | ||
does not increase based on a change in the student's residency | ||
status, degree program, course load, course level, tuition | ||
exemption status, or other circumstance affecting the tuition | ||
charged to the student. | ||
SECTION 2. Sections 54.0513(a) and (b), Education Code, are | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) In addition to amounts that a governing board of an | ||
institution of higher education is authorized to charge as tuition | ||
under the other provisions of this chapter, the governing board[ |
||
|
||
charge any student an amount designated as tuition, not to exceed | ||
the maximum amount that enables the institution to comply with | ||
Section 54.0514, that the governing board considers necessary for | ||
the effective operation of the institution. | ||
(b) Subject to the limit provided by Subsection (a) on the | ||
amount designated as tuition charged under this section, a [ |
||
governing board may set a different tuition rate under this section | ||
for each program and course level offered by each institution of | ||
higher education[ |
||
|
||
graduation rates, encourage efficient use of facilities, or enhance | ||
employee performance. | ||
SECTION 3. Sections 54.0515(e) and (f), Education Code, are | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(e) It is the legislature's intent that each institution of | ||
higher education[ |
||
|
||
(1) each institution shall make satisfactory progress | ||
towards the goals provided in its master plan for higher education | ||
and in "Closing the Gaps," the state's master plan for higher | ||
education, or a successor state master plan; and | ||
(2) each institution shall meet acceptable | ||
performance criteria, including measures such as graduation rates, | ||
retention rates, enrollment growth, educational quality, efforts | ||
to enhance minority participation, opportunities for financial | ||
aid, and affordability. | ||
(f) The committee shall: | ||
(1) meet at the call of either chair; | ||
(2) monitor and regularly report to the legislature on | ||
each institution of higher education's compliance with the | ||
requirements of Subsection (e); and | ||
(3) receive and review information concerning the | ||
affordability and accessibility of higher education[ |
||
|
||
SECTION 4. The heading to Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 54. TUITION, [ |
||
SECTION 5. The heading to Subchapter E, Chapter 54, | ||
Education Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER E. OTHER FEES, [ |
||
SECTION 6. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 54.5001 and 54.5002 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 54.5001. LIMITATIONS ON FEE AMOUNTS. | ||
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter or | ||
other law, in any academic year, the governing board of an | ||
institution of higher education may not charge a fee under this | ||
subchapter in an amount that is greater than the amount of the fee | ||
charged by the institution in the 2015-2016 academic year. | ||
(b) The limitation provided by this section applies to a fee | ||
even if an increase in the amount of the fee is approved by a vote of | ||
the students, student government, or student fee advisory committee | ||
of the institution of higher education. | ||
Sec. 54.5002. LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF CERTAIN CHARGES. | ||
Notwithstanding any other law, an institution of higher education | ||
may not charge to a student for on-campus housing, parking, or | ||
meals, or for any other on-campus good or service the charge for | ||
which is set by the institution, an amount that is greater than the | ||
amount the institution would have charged for that good or service | ||
during the 2015-2016 academic year, unless the institution | ||
demonstrates that the increase is justified by an increase in | ||
underlying costs for the good or service, such as labor or supply | ||
costs, as demonstrated by an increase in the consumer price index, | ||
as defined by Section 341.201, Finance Code, and certified by the | ||
Legislative Budget Board. | ||
SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with tuition, fees, | ||
and other charges charged by public institutions of higher | ||
education for the 2018 fall semester. Tuition, fees, and other | ||
charges charged by an institution of higher education in an | ||
academic period before that semester are covered by the law in | ||
effect before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is | ||
continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |