HBA-LJP H.B. 1941 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1941 By: Delisi Higher Education 3/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, the spouse or dependent child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, who is not assigned to duty in Texas but previously resided in Texas for a year, is entitled to pay Texas resident rates at a state institution of higher education. If the member does not fulfill the requirement of previous residence in Texas, then the spouse or the dependent child of the member will have to pay the nonresident Texas rate, a rate that the spouse or dependent child of the member may not be able to afford. House Bill 1941 lowers the time period that the member must have previously lived in Texas from one year to six months. 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 House Bill 1941 amends the Education Code to lower, from 12 months to 6 months, the time period that a member of the armed forces of the United States, who is not assigned to duty in Texas, must have previously resided in Texas for the member's spouse or dependent child to be entitled to pay tuition, fees, and other charges provided for Texas residents at an institution of higher education. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the fall semester 2001.