HBA-JLV, CBW C.S.H.B. 140 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 140
By: Wise
Higher Education
5/4/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the governing board of each institution of higher
education exempts veterans from the payment of certain dues, fees, and
charges associated with their education.  While these exemptions include
many of the basic costs of attending college, they do not include the cost
of required textbooks and other related course materials. C.S.H.B. 140
requires each institution of higher education to establish a program to
reimburse veterans or their dependents for the cost of required textbooks
and similar required course materials.  

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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 140 amends the Education Code to require each  institution of
higher education to 
establish a program to reimburse for the cost of required textbooks and
course materials a student who: 

  _receives a tuition exemption as a veteran or a veteran's dependant; and 

  _is enrolled in at least 12 semester credit hours at the institution
during  the semester or term for which the textbooks and course materials
are purchased. 

To receive a reimbursement, the bill  provides that a student must transfer
for purposes of resale the textbooks and course materials to the
institution of higher education at the end of the semester or term for
which they were purchased, apply for the reimbursement,  and provide proof
of the purchase for which reimbursement is sought.  The bill requires the
institution of higher education to classify any reimbursement as a
scholarship and to account for the reimbursement in the manner recommended
by the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
The bill requires the legislature to account in the General Appropriations
Act for the reimbursements authorized by the Act in a way that provides a
corresponding increase in the general revenue funds appropriated to the
institution. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On  passage, and applies beginning with the 2001-2002 academic year. If the
Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect  September 1,
2001,  and applies beginning with the 2002-2003 academic year. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 140 differs from the original bill by establishing minimum
enrollment requirements for a student to receive a reimbursement.  In
addition, to receive a reimbursement, the substitute provides that a
student must transfer to the institution of higher education (institution)
for purposes of  resale the textbooks and  course materials.  

The substitute requires the institution to classify any reimbursement as a
scholarship and to account for the reimbursement in the manner recommended
by the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
The substitute differs from the original by requiring the legislature to
account in the General Appropriations Act for the reimbursements in a way
that provides a corresponding increase in the general revenue funds
appropriated to the institution. 

The substitute removes the provision requiring the coordinating board to
include funding for the program in its funding formulas.