Bill Text: TX HB149 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to temporary limitations on the amount of tuition and fees charged by public institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-10-15 - Referred to Higher Education [HB149 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB149-Introduced.html
| By: Schaefer | H.B. No. 149 | |
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| relating to temporary limitations on the amount of tuition and fees | ||
| charged 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. TEMPORARY 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) Notwithstanding Section 54.0513 or another law | ||
| authorizing an institution to establish tuition rates, the total | ||
| amount of tuition charged by an institution of higher education to a | ||
| student for a semester or term during the 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 | ||
| academic year or for the 2023 fall semester may not exceed the total | ||
| amount of tuition that the institution would have charged under | ||
| this chapter to a similarly situated student for the 2020 summer | ||
| term or fall semester, as applicable. | ||
| (c) For purposes of this section, 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. | ||
| (d) This section 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. | ||
| (e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt | ||
| rules as necessary to administer this section. | ||
| (f) This section expires December 31, 2023. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 54.5002 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 54.5002. TEMPORARY LIMITATIONS ON FEE INCREASES. (a) | ||
| Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter or other | ||
| law, in each semester or term during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 | ||
| academic years and in the 2023 fall semester, 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 for the 2020 summer term or fall | ||
| semester, as applicable. | ||
| (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. | ||
| (c) This section expires December 31, 2023. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
| legislative session. | ||
