HBA-KMH H.B. 3138 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3138
By: Naishtat
Higher Education
3/22/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not allow Texas schools to discount tuition as part of a
plan to increase graduation rates through positive incentives.  H.B. 3138
authorizes Texas institutions of higher education to discount tuition for
students enrolled in at least 15 semester credit hours and making
satisfactory progress toward a degree.  This bill requires such a reduction
to be part of an overall plan to increase the average semester credit hour
course load of students and to improve retention and graduation rates. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding
Section 54.010, as follows: 

Sec.  54.010.  REDUCTION IN TUITION.  (a) Authorizes the governing board of
an institution of higher education (governing board) to reduce the amount
of tuition charged to a student under this chapter to an amount less than
the amount otherwise required by this chapter under certain conditions: 

_if the governing board offers the tuition reduction under this section
(tuition reduction) to the student as part of an institutional policy to
increase the average semester credit hour course load and improve the
retention and graduation rate, of students enrolled in the institution; and 
_if the governing board determines that the student is enrolled in at least
15 semester credit hours (hours) and making satisfactory progress toward
completion of a degree program offered at the institution. 

(b) Authorizes the governing board to offer a tuition reduction in any
manner the governing board considers appropriate. 

(c) Prohibits the tuition reduction from exceeding the amount of tuition
that would have been charged to the student under this chapter for
enrollment in three hours during the semester or term. 

(d) Authorizes the governing board to prorate the amount of the tuition
reduction based on the number of hours in which the student is enrolled, or
the length of the semester or term for which the student is enrolled. 

(e) Provides that the governing board is not required to offer a tuition
reduction to all institutions of higher education or all degree plans under
its governance. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding
Section 54.5025, as follows: 
 
Sec.  54.5025.  PRORATION OF FEES.  Authorizes the governing board to
prorate the amount of any fee charged to the student under this chapter,
based on the length of the semester or term for which a student is
enrolled. 

SECTION 3.   Makes this Act effective beginning with tuition and fees
charged for the fall 1999 semester. 

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.