Bill Text: TX HB1933 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to authorizing a public institution of higher education to include certain textbook costs in the institution's charge for tuition or required fees.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-26 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB1933 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB1933-Comm_Sub.html
| 86R27650 KJE-F | |||
| By: Howard | H.B. No. 1933 | ||
| Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1933: | |||
| By: Howard | C.S.H.B. No. 1933 | ||
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| relating to authorizing a public institution of higher education to | ||
| include certain textbook costs in the institution's charge for | ||
| tuition or required fees. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 54.019 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 54.019. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN TEXTBOOK COSTS IN TUITION | ||
| OR FEES CHARGE. (a) In this section, "coordinating board" means | ||
| the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. | ||
| (b) The governing board of an institution of higher | ||
| education may establish in accordance with this section and 34 | ||
| C.F.R. Section 668.164(c)(2)(i) a textbook affordability program | ||
| under which the institution may include the cost of any textbooks or | ||
| other materials required for a course in the tuition or required | ||
| fees charged by the institution for the course. | ||
| (c) A textbook affordability program established under this | ||
| section must: | ||
| (1) permit a student to opt out of the program, | ||
| including having the cost of textbooks or materials included in the | ||
| tuition or required fees charged to the student; and | ||
| (2) provide a student a means of obtaining textbooks | ||
| or materials not later than the first day of the semester or other | ||
| term in which the textbooks or materials are required. | ||
| (d) For each course included in a textbook affordability | ||
| program established by an institution of higher education under | ||
| this section, the institution shall include in the course catalog | ||
| under Section 54.0051: | ||
| (1) the cost of the textbooks or other materials | ||
| included in the tuition or required fees charged for the course | ||
| under the program; and | ||
| (2) a description of the opt-out provision under | ||
| Subsection (c). | ||
| (e) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, | ||
| the coordinating board shall submit to the standing legislative | ||
| committees with primary jurisdiction over higher education a report | ||
| on the aggregate savings to students resulting from textbook | ||
| affordability programs established under this section. | ||
| (f) The coordinating board shall adopt rules for the | ||
| administration of a textbook affordability program established | ||
| under this section, including rules that ensure that each program | ||
| complies with state and federal law regarding confidentiality of | ||
| student educational information, including the Family Educational | ||
| Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). | ||
| SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies | ||
| beginning with the 2019 fall semester. | ||
| SECTION 3. Not later than November 1, 2020, the Texas Higher | ||
| Education Coordinating Board shall submit the initial report | ||
| required under Section 54.019, Education Code, as added by this | ||
| Act. | ||
| SECTION 4. 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 September 1, 2019. | ||
