SUMMARY OF HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATION 77th LEGISLATURE

SUMMARY OF HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATION 77th LEGISLATURE TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD Office of Governmental Relations/Public Information P.O Box 12788 • Austin, TX 78711-2788 (512) 427-6111 July 2001 The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services TABLE OF CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATION LEGISLATION THAT PASSED LEGISLATION THAT FAILED TO PASS 11 HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING 17 MAJOR INCREASES FOR EACH SECTOR OF HIGHER EDUCATION 17 SELECTED COORDINATING BOARD RIDERS 19 CONTINGENCY RIDERS 22 HIGHER EDUCATION SPECIAL PROVISION RIDERS 22 OTHER AGENCY / INSTITUTION RIDERS 23 ARTICLE IX RIDERS 24 ADMISSIONS 25 COMMUNITY / TECHNICAL COLLEGES 27 COORDINATING BOARD / AGENCY OPERATIONS 28 DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION (TASP) 29 EDUCATOR PREPARATION, RECRUITMENT & RETENTION 30 FACULTY 32 FINANCIAL AID 33 HEALTH-RELATED 35 INSTITUTIONAL OPERATIONS 38 MISCELLANEOUS 38 P-16 INITIATIVES 40 PLANNING 41 PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS 42 RESEARCH 43 ROLE & MISSION / INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES 44 TECHNOLOGY / ENGINEERING 48 TRANSFER 49 TUITION AND FEES 50 TUITION AND FEES – WAIVERS & EXEMPTIONS 53 TUITION REVENUE BONDS 54 i HIGHLIGHTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATION 77th Texas Legislature LEGISLATION THAT PASSED ADMISSIONS • HB 1387 – allows separate rankings to be used in determining which students qualify for automatic admission to Texas public institutions of higher education under the top 10 percent law for magnet school students and traditional high school students on the same high school campus • HB 1641 – outlines factors that may be used to make admissions or scholarship decisions at the state’s public graduate and professional schools; prohibits the use of standardized test results as the sole admission criteria COMMUNITY / TECHNICAL COLLEGES • HB 1754 – authorizes a member of the governing board of a community college district to serve the remainder of the term to which the trustee was elected after the redistricting of a community college district • HB 2349 – reassigns the Marble Falls Independent School District from the Austin Community College service area to the Central Texas College service area • HB 2459 – requires the board of trustees of a community college district to re-divide the district into the appropriate number of districts with an equal number of inhabitants in each district • HB 3258 – transfers the territory within the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District in Gonzales County from the Victoria College District Service Area to the Austin Community College District Service Area • SB 1014 – transfers Rockdale ISD from the Blinn College District service area to the Temple Junior College District service area COORDINATING BOARD / AGENCY OPERATIONS • HB 249 – provides that a computer system vulnerability report is not subject to public disclosure and requires a state agency whose manager has prepared a vulnerability report to prepare a summary of the report that excludes information that might compromise security to be made available to the public on request • HB 1922 – requires each state agency that collects information about an individual to prominently state that the individual is entitled to receive and review the information collected; mandates each agency to establish a reasonable procedure for correcting personal information without imposing a charge on the individual, unless the provision conflicts with the open record requirements LEGISLATION THAT PASSED (CONTINUED) • HB 2589 – requires the Department of Information Resources to create a terms of service statement for state agency Internet sites and to establish and administer a clearinghouse for information relating to all aspects of protecting the security of state agency information • SB 187 – establishes the TexasOnline Authority to implement a project designated as TexasOnline that provides a common electronic system using the Internet for transactions between state or local government and members of the public • SB 799 – requires each state agency to conduct an exit interview with an employee who leaves employment with the agency by having the employee access the questionnaire posted on the state auditor's Internet site and electronically submit the completed questionnaire to the state auditor DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION (TEXAS ACADEMIC SKILLS PROGRAM) • HB 234 – exempts active duty military personnel from TASP requirements • HB 1645 – exempts a transfer student from an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education who has met requirements of certain skill areas from the TASP test requirement • HB 2109 – exempts from the TASP a person who graduates from a public high school or accredited private high school in any state with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent and who has completed certain curriculum requirements, if that person enrolls in an institution of higher education on or before the second anniversary of the date the student graduated from high school EDUCATOR PREPARATION, RECRUITMENT, & RETENTION • HB 704 – requires the TEA to establish the Careers to Classroom Program to assist individuals in obtaining certification as an elementary or secondary school teacher or educational aide, and to facilitate the employment of those persons in school districts in Texas that have a high number of educationally disadvantaged students and a shortage of certified teachers in critical shortage areas or fields and or a shortage of educational aides • HB 1130 – amends certain provisions of the Educational Aide Exemption Program to expand the number of teacher aides who are eligible to receive the exemption from tuition and fees, and requires school districts and universities to adopt plans designed to facilitate the use of the program and increase the number of certified teachers in Texas • HB 1721 – authorizes the State Board for Educator Certification to issue a certificate to an educator from another state or country that has performed satisfactorily on an exam similar to and at least as rigorous as the ExCET • SB 998 – authorizes persons who have worked in an alternative education program or a juvenile justice education program for three years to take the ExCET without completing an alternative educator certification program LEGISLATION THAT PASSED (CONTINUED) • SB 1057 – makes several changes to the administration of the TEXAS Grant Program, separates the Teach for Texas Grant Program from the TEXAS Grant Program, establishes the Teach for Texas Grant Program for alternative certification students, and modifies the classroom teacher loan repayment assistance program FACULTY • HB 1127 – provides standards governing the dates by which institutions of higher education must issue contracts or employment agreements to full-time faculty members • HB 2397 – requires the Coordinating Board to conduct a study and to produce a report on the disparity between the salary and benefits received by part-time and full-time faculty members at public institutions of higher education FINANCIAL AID • HB 1187 – requires the Texas Workforce Commission to establish a new Parents as Scholars pilot program that allows program participants to fulfill the work or employment activities required for financial assistance by engaging in educational activities designed to result in receipt of a postsecondary degree • HB 1575 – authorizes the Coordinating Board to provide assistance in the repayment of education loans for dental hygienists who practice in underserved areas of Texas • HB 1755 – authorizes a licensing authority to suspend or deny the renewal of any stateissued license for a chiropractor, dentist, podiatrist, or medical doctor who has been found to be delinquent in the repayment of an educational loan or scholarship contract • HB 2323 – requires the Coordinating Board to provide assistance in the repayment of law school education loans for an attorney who provides legal services to the indigent and to provide repayment assistance for loans accrued by law graduates who work in a district or county attorney's office in a rural area • HB 2766 – authorizes the Coordinating Board to provide assistance in the repayment of education loans for attorneys who work for the Office of the Attorney General • SB 40 – requires the Coordinating Board to establish and administer a tuition assistance program for vocational nursing students attending any school or program in this state and who agree following licensure as a licensed vocational nurse to practice in a longterm care facility in the state • SB 149 – updates names and statutory references to clarify program requirements of the Tuition Equalization Program • SB 1596 – establishes the TEXAS Grant II Program to provide grants to eligible students to attend Texas public community and technical colleges and requires the Coordinating Board to administer the program LEGISLATION THAT PASSED (CONTINUED) HEALTH-RELATED • HB 42 – authorizes the Coordinating Board, with the assistance of the board of regents of the Texas A&M University System, to conduct a feasibility study regarding an affiliation or coordinating agreement between the board of regents and any institution of higher education to provide the clinical education necessary to support a doctor of medicine degree program at the university • HB 1124 – establishes a community healthcare awareness and mentoring program to identify, encourage, and support potential health care professionals from rural and underserved urban areas • HB 2421 – requires the Center for Rural Health Initiatives to establish a program to encourage students from rural areas to study medicine and return to the rural community to practice • HB 2510 – requires the board of regents of the Texas Tech University System to establish the Texas Tech Diabetes Research Center for researching diabetes and factors associated with the disease • HB 2584 – creates the Commission on Geriatrics Study Requirement for Medical School to assess the feasibility or desirability of making the study of geriatrics a requisite for graduation from a medical school in this state • SB 31 – requires all college and university students be provided with information regarding the risks, symptoms, and vaccine for bacterial meningitis and the availability of a vaccine to students through the student health center • SB 126 – establishes the Rural Communities Health Care Investment Program to recruit health professionals other than physicians to practice in medically underserved communities by providing them with loan reimbursement or a stipend • SB 505 – authorizes a medical and dental unit to require students at the institution to obtain health insurance coverage upon enrollment • SB 572 – establishes the Nursing Shortage Reduction Program to provide incentives to increase enrollment in and faculty of professional nursing programs and requires the Coordinating Board to administer the program • SB 837 – requires the governing board of the Border Health Institute to develop a 10year strategic plan and update the plan biennially • SB 940 – establishes the Joint Admission Medical Program to assist certain economically disadvantaged students in preparing for and succeeding in medical school INSTITUTIONAL OPERATIONS • HB 1545 – amends provisions relating to the operation, regulation, and administration of public institutions of higher education LEGISLATION THAT PASSED (CONTINUED) • SB 826 – authorizes the board of trustees of a school district to operate a school or program or hold a class on the campus of an institution of higher education regardless of whether the institution of higher education is located within the boundaries of the school district • SB 1419 – eliminates the statute of limitations in certain civil proceedings involving the public institutions of higher education or Coordinating Board MISCELLANEOUS • HB 82 – provides tax exemptions for the first $5,000 of total receipts raised by qualified student organizations • HB 2787 – prohibits certain public universities from issuing a vehicle permit to a student whose vehicle has not passed the vehicle emissions inspection • HB 3590 – establishes the Texas Fund for Geography Education under the Coordinating Board and creates a seven-member advisory committee to propose funding recommendations that would support geographic education programs • HB 3699 – specifies that an institution of higher education entitled to allocated funds under the equitable allocation formula is authorized to transfer the allocated funds to other eligible member institutions • SB 263 – requires the governing board of each institution of higher education to adopt a policy regulating travel that is undertaken by one or more students enrolled at the institution to reach an activity or event that is located more than 25 miles from the institution, is organized and sponsored by the institution, is funded by the institution, uses a vehicle owned or leased by the institution, or is required by a student organization registered at the institution • SB 555 – establishes a qualified higher education savings plan to be administered by the Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board with investments in the plan managed by a private firm • SB 903 – requires the Coordinating Board to administer the women's athletic development fund to reduce the disparity between women's and men's athletics; requires the CB to conduct a best practices study of women’s athletic programs currently operated by public institutions of higher education in Texas and in other states • SB 1818 – grants the same powers and duties of eminent domain to the Texas A&M University System Board that are already granted to the governing boards of the University of Texas System and the Texas State University System P-16 INITIATIVES • HB 400 – requires the Coordinating Board to implement the Higher Education Assistance Pilot Program to provide prospective students with assistance and information on admissions and enrollment at institutions of higher education; requires school districts and public institutions of higher education to work together to create a plan to increase enrollment rates at institutions of higher education LEGISLATION THAT PASSED (CONTINUED) • HB 1144 – makes the Recommended High School Program the default curriculum for graduation at public high schools; directs the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Commissioner of Education to ensure student performance records are compatible; establishes new ratings for schools and districts; establishes the Master Math Teacher Program to reward expert instructors with annual bonuses • SB 82 – extends the option to take dual credit junior college courses to private high school students • SB 158 – requires school counselors to provide information to students and their parents regarding the importance of higher education and availability of financial assistance • SB 573 – requires the Coordinating Board to establish a statewide public awareness campaign to increase the number of students enrolled at higher education institutions in Texas PLANNING • HB 1799 – requires the Coordinating Board to complete a periodic comprehensive statewide plan that provides information and guidance to policymakers to ensure the current and future needs for adequate higher education services are met in each region of this state PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS • HB 1985 – makes revisions to the law governing the regulation of proprietary schools • SB 554 – authorizes the Texas Workforce Commission to establish and administer the Texas Career Opportunity Grant Program to provide tuition assistance to Texas students enrolled in a qualified education program at eligible proprietary schools, public technical institutes and certain postsecondary education programs • SB 1205 – clarifies that a short course of instruction of 24 classroom hours or less and for which the tuition or fee is less than $500 is exempt from regulation under the provisions for proprietary schools provided that the course meets certain conditions RESEARCH • HB 1716 – establishes the San Antonio Life Science Institute to develop joint degree programs and joint research programs in the life sciences • HB 1839 – creates the Texas Excellence Fund and the University Research Fund to support and maintain educational and general activities, including research and student services, that promote increased research capacity and develop institutional excellence; requires the Comptroller’s office to administer and invest the fund • SB 1840 – requires the board of regents of The University of Texas System and the Coordinating Board to conduct a study evaluating the benefits of operating The University of Texas at San Antonio and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio as a single research university LEGISLATION THAT PASSED (CONTINUED) ROLE AND MISSION / INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES • HB 323 – creates a Center for Border Economic and Enterprise Development at The University of Texas at Brownsville • HB 753 – authorizes The University of Texas M.D Anderson Cancer Center to jointly prescribe courses and jointly conduct graduate programs at the master's and doctoral levels related to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences • HB 910 – formally establishes The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center South Texas Center for Rural Public Health to deliver health education outreach programs, deliver and provide community based instructional sites for the education of rural residents to public health professionals • HB 1640 – authorizes the creation of a professional school of pharmacy at Texas A&M University-Kingsville • HB 1685 – authorizes the governing boards of general academic teaching institutions or medical or dental schools to establish a partnership or affiliation with other entities to offer or conduct courses for academic credit or to offer degree programs • HB 1753 – authorizes The University of Texas-Pan American to establish an upperdivision extension campus in Rio Grande City and enter into a partnership agreement with a junior college district for lower-division courses • HB 2054 – expands Texas Southern University's statutory purpose statement to reflect its similarities to other general academic institutions • HB 2344 – removes the enrollment cap on the number of lower-division students enrolled at The University of Texas at Brownsville preceding the 2005-2006 academic • HB 2840 – authorizes the establishment of a partnership agreement between Texas A&M University-Texarkana and the Texarkana College District and allows a student enrolled at Texarkana College to simultaneously enroll at Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana as long as the student meets the requirements for enrollment at the university • HB 3309 – creates the Southeast Texas Biotechnology Park in the Texas Medical Center-University Corridor in Houston • SB 576 – authorizes the University of North Texas at Dallas to operate as a general academic teaching institution with its own chief executive officer, administration, and faculty only after the Coordinating Board certifies that enrollment at the University of North Texas System Center at Dallas has reached an enrollment equivalent to 2,500 fulltime students for one semester • SB 989 – amends the statutory provision regarding Prairie View A&M University's legally mandated purpose and role in Texas higher education • SB 1429 – establishes the Center for Relationship Violence Prevention and Intervention at Prairie View A&M University LEGISLATION THAT PASSED (CONTINUED) TECHNOLOGY / ENGINEERING • HB 3028 – requires the Coordinating Board to conduct an annual state science and engineering fair as part of an outreach program for middle school, junior high school, and high school students • SB 353 – establishes the Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium, a public-private partnership to promote education in the engineering and computer science fields • SB 1190 – authorizes institutions to establish and administer centers to commercialize technology which they own or in which they own an interest TRANSFER • HB 1359 – requires the Coordinating Board to develop field of study curricula for a certain number of degree programs that are in high-demand; requires each institution of higher education to publish its practices in transferring course credits between institutions TUITION AND FEES • HB 120 – authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System to impose a student intercollegiate athletic fee at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin • HB 152 – creates a special summer tuition rate pilot program for certain students enrolled for a summer term or session at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University-Kingsville • HB 461 – authorizes the board of regents of the University of North Texas to impose a recreational fee on students • HB 462 – authorizes the board of regents of the University of North Texas to levy student fees for medical services • HB 467 – authorizes of the board of regents of Texas Woman's University to levy student fees for medical services • HB 1023 – authorizes the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to increase the maximum recreational sports fee • HB 1024 – Authorizes the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to raise the maximum student center complex fee • HB 1403 – classifies a non-United States citizen as a Texas resident if they meet certain criteria • HB 1465 – requires the Coordinating Board to establish a pilot project to measure the impact of reducing tuition rates for community college courses at times of low enrollment demand these programs, the Coordinating Board must give priority to programs addressing the needs of public high school students whose economic conditions limit their access to athletic facilities, programs, and opportunities The board will also consider other relevant factors, including whether a program promotes gender equality and includes the participation of collegiate-level coaches and athletes Effective Date September 1, 2001 SB 1818 (Bivins/Telford) – Authorizes the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to enter into an agreement with any person for the purchase, sale, lease, leasepurchase, acquisition, or construction of permanent improvements and to purchase, sell, lease, lease-purchase, encumber, or contract with reference to the divesting or encumbering title to lands and other appurtenances for the construction of the permanent improvements Requires that no debt be incurred by the State of Texas Effective Date September 1, 2001 P-16 INITIATIVES HB 400 (Giddings/Van de Putte) – Directs the Coordinating Board and the TEA to identify school districts that during the preceding five years have had an average of at least 26 students in the high school’s graduating class and for any two consecutive years within the preceding five years have been among the lowest 10 percent of high schools in Texas in the percentage of students enrolling in an institution of higher education Requires these school districts to enter into an agreement with the public institution of higher education in closest proximity to the district not later than December 31, 2001 The district and the institution will be required to implement a plan to increase the percentage of students attending an institution of higher education beginning with the 2002-03 school year Also requires the Coordinating Board to administer the Higher Education Assistance Pilot Program The purpose of the program is to provide information related to enrollment in higher education, admissions and financial aid to students in three areas of the state with the highest percentage of students who not enroll at institutions of higher education The Coordinating Board will be required to submit to the Legislature a report on the effectiveness of the pilot program not later than August 31, 2003 Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 1144 (Grusendorf/Harris) – Makes the Recommended High School Program the standard curriculum for graduation at public high schools Allows for a student to “opt out” into the minimum program with the consent of the student’s parent or guardian and a school counselor or administrator This requirement will apply to students entering the ninth grade in the 2004-05 academic year and thereafter Directs the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Commissioner of Education to ensure that student performance records are coordinated and maintained in standardized, compatible formats that permit the exchange of information between the two agencies and the matching of individual student records so that a student’s academic performance may be assessed throughout the student’s educational career Requires the State Board for Educator Certification to establish a Master Math Certificate and directs the Commissioner of Education to establish the Master Math Grant Program to provide stipends to certified master math teachers who teach at high-need campuses Directs the 41 Commissioner of Education to develop a professional development institute in math for grades five through eight and allows stipends, in an amount to be determined by the Commissioner, to be paid to teachers who complete a professional development institute Effective Date September 1, 2001 SB 82 (Madla/Menendez) – Authorizes a public community college, under an agreement with a school district or with an organization or person that operates a private high school, to offer a course in which a student attending a high school operated in this state may enroll and receive certain course credit Requires a public community college, in admitting or enrolling high school students in a course offered for dual credit, to apply the same criteria and conditions to each student wishing to enroll in the course without regard to whether the student attends a public school, private or parochial school, including a home school Provides that a student who is at least 16 and who attends a school that is not formally organized as a high school is considered to be attending a high school Effective Date August 27,2001 SB 158 (Truan/Olivo) – Requires public elementary, middle, and high school counselors, including those at open-enrollment charter schools, to advise students and their parents regarding the importance of higher education, college-preparatory coursework, financial aid, the TEXAS Grant Program, and the top 10 percent law Effective Date June 15, 2001 SB 573 (Bivins/Rangel) – Directs the Coordinating Board to establish a statewide public awareness campaign to promote the value of higher education The campaign will include information on the benefits of obtaining a postsecondary education, the types of institutions of higher education and degree programs that are available, the academic preparation needed to pursue a postsecondary education and other requirements for enrollment at an institution of higher education, and information on how to obtain financial aid The target audience will be primary and secondary school students from groups or backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education (Note: The Legislature appropriated $5 million for the biennium to the Coordinating Board in HB 2879 to administer the program.) Effective Date September 1, 2001 PLANNING HB 1799 (Villarreal/Shapleigh) – Requires the Coordinating Board to develop a long-range statewide plan to provide information and guidance to policy makers to ensure that institutions of higher education meet the current and future needs of each region of this state for higher education services In developing the plan, the Coordinating Board will examine existing higher education programs and identify the geographic areas of this state that, as a result of current or projected population growth, distance from other educational resources, economic trends, or other factors, will have significantly greater need for higher education services than the services currently provided in the area The Coordinating Board will also consider the services provided by private and independent institutions of higher education in developing the plan The Coordinating Board will identify the programs or fields of study for which an area has or is projected to have a significant unmet need for services In determining the need for higher educational services in an area, the Board will consider the educational attainment of the current population and the extent to which residents from the area attend institutions of higher education outside of the area or not attend institutions of higher education The Coordinating 42 Board will include in the plan specific recommendations for administrative or legislative action to address an area's unmet need for higher educational services as efficiently as possible Not later than November of each even-numbered year, the Coordinating Board will deliver to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Legislature a report of the current long-range plan Effective Date May 25, 2001 Planning Legislation that Failed to Pass HB 1804 (Salinas) – Would have authorized the Educational Productivity Council at The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education to develop a database of information on the performance of students attending public schools and public institutions of higher education This bill was favorably reported as substituted by the House Higher Education Committee and sent to the House Calendars Committee on April The committee substitute would have authorized the council to have access to data, rather than to develop a database The substitute would have authorized the council to enter into an agreement with a local or state educational agency to make the information available and would have authorized the council to have access to student information that is confidential under federal law, at the request of the institution, school district, or open-enrollment charter school in which the student is enrolled HB 3053 (Rangel) – Would have required the Coordinating Board to develop specific policies and strategies to assist public and private entities and public officials to achieve a coordinated educational system that meets the needs of all people in Texas, including employers This bill was scheduled for a public hearing in the House Higher Education Committee on April 10, but was withdrawn from the schedule SB 349 (Truan) – Would have created the Commission on 21st Century Colleges and Universities through 2013 This bill was scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Education Committee on February 14, but no action was taken SB 1186 (Shapleigh/Rangel) – Would have required the Coordinating Board to create and post a report on the board's Internet website which would have listed all public universities in the state and each university's corresponding performance on each of 20 measures This bill was favorably reported as substituted by the Senate Education Committee and passed the full Senate It also passed the House Higher Education Committee as substituted The last version of the bill required Coordinating Board to post institution’s performance on 17 measures It was placed on the House Local and Consent calendar on May 23, but was withdrawn from the calendar and sent back to the committee SB 1260 (Shapleigh/Rangel) – Would have allowed the Comptroller to conduct performance reviews on colleges and universities (the Comptroller, Coordinating Board or institution could have requested a review) This bill was favorably reported by the Senate Education Committee and passed the full Senate It also passed the House Higher Education Committee It was placed on the House Local and Consent calendar on May 23, but was withdrawn from the calendar and sent back to the committee (See SB 1, Comptroller of Public Accounts Rider 19, a similar rider that passed) PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS HB 1985 (Solis, Jim/Truan) – Requires the Texas Workforce Commission to re-examine the premises of a proprietary school as frequently as it deems necessary and renew, revoke, or deny renewal of the school's certificate of approval Sets forth the minimum refund of tuition and fees for a student who terminates or withdraws from a residence course of not more than 12 months in length Prohibits a person from soliciting prospective students for or on behalf of a proprietary school without being registered as a representative of the proprietary school as required by this law Increases the fee for an investigation at a proprietary school to resolve a complaint filed against the school from $400 to $600 Increases the maximum amount of the 43 refunds required to be paid from the proprietary school tuition protection fund from $25,000 to $50,000 Effective Date September 1, 2001 SB 554 (Carona/Solis, Jim) – Authorizes the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to establish the Texas Career Opportunity Grant Program to provide tuition assistance to Texas students enrolled in a qualified education program at eligible proprietary schools, public technical institutes and certain postsecondary education programs The TWC will award grants on the basis of financial need, economic demand for the applicant’s proposed career field, efficient use of the money available for grants, allocation of grants across different career fields and geographical regions, and any other factor TWC considers appropriate To be a qualified education program, a proprietary must be accredited for at least five years, have held a certificate of approval for at least five years, and offer one or more programs of at least one academic year in length leading to a certificate, certification, degree, or diploma in the career field To be eligible to receive a grant, an applicant must be at Texas resident, be enrolled in at least part-time at an eligible institution, be required to pay more tuition and fees than required at a public technical institute, establish financial need, and not be in default of a loan Effective Date September 1, 2001 SB 1205 (Jackson/Hamric) – Provides that a course of instruction is exempt from provisions relating to proprietary schools if the length of the course is 24 classroom hours or less; the fee for the course is less than $500; the course is designed to teach knowledge or skills to maintain or enhance a person's competency or performance in a business, trade, or occupation, or to teach recreational or vocational subjects; no credits or units are awarded on completion of the course toward the completion of another course of instruction of more than 24 classroom hours; and meets other conditions Provides that a business enterprise that offers exclusively courses of instruction that are exempt from regulation under provisions relating to proprietary schools is also exempt from such regulation Effective Date September 1, 2001 RESEARCH HB 1716 (Puente/Van de Putte) – Authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System to establish and maintain the San Antonio Life Sciences Institute as a joint partnership of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and The University of Texas at San Antonio Requires the Institute to specialize in research and teaching in the life sciences and develop joint degree and research programs for the health science center and the university The operation and management of the Institute will be under the direction of the chancellor of The University of Texas System and the board of regents through the presidents of the health science center and the university Administrative costs may be paid from money appropriated by the Legislature and from public or private sources The Institute will retain all indirect costs received or recovered under a grant or contract Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 1839 (Junell/Ellis) – Creates the Texas Excellence Fund and the University Research Fund to provide funding to promote increased research capacity and to develop institutional excellence at eligible institutions Distribution formulas for each of the funds is included in the legislation, but the formulas will sunset on August 31, 2005 Mandates a joint 44 interim review of excellence funding by a committee of five senators from the Senate and five members from the House of Representatives Effective Date September 1, 2001 SB 1840 (Van de Putte/Puente) – Requires the board of regents of The University of Texas System, with the assistance of the Coordinating Board, to conduct a study to evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of operating The University of Texas at San Antonio and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio as a single research center Requires the board of regents to obtain input from students, faculty, and administrators as well as to identify and evaluate potential benefits and legal, administrative, or practical problems concerning the proposed change The board of regents is required to submit the results to the Legislature on or before October 1, 2002 Effective Date June 13, 2001 Research Legislation that Failed to Pass HB 2356 (Tillery) – Would have required universities each fiscal year to transfer to the General Revenue Fund 25 percent of royalties received from intellectual property This bill was considered by the House Higher Education Committee on March 20, but was left pending HB 2365 (Williams/West, Royce) and SB 1013 (West, Royce) companion bill – Would have required the Legislature each biennium to appropriate to Prairie View A&M University funds sufficient enough to qualify for federal agricultural research, extension and education matching funds HB 2365 was passed by the full House, but tagged in the Senate Finance Committee on May 11 SB 1013 was considered by the Senate Finance Committee on March 29, but was left pending SB 449 (Duncan) – Would have created the University Research Fund to provide excellence funding to eligible research institutions This bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee on January 31 (See HB 1839, a similar bill that passed) SB 1567 (Harris) – Would have created the Emerging University Excellence Fund to provide funding to promote increased research capacity and to develop institutional excellence at PUF-eligible institutions, excluding the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University This bill was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on March 14 (See HB 1839, a similar bill that passed) SB 1627 (Wentworth) – Would have created an atmosphere modification research center at Texas Tech University to conduct research on controlling precipitation This bill was considered by the Senate Natural Resources Committee on April 3, but was left pending ROLE AND MISSION / INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES HB 323 (Oliveira/Lucio) – Requires the board of regents of The University of Texas System to establish a Center for Border Economic and Enterprise Development at The University of Texas at Brownsville Authorizes the center to develop and manage an economic database on the Texas-Mexico border; perform economic development planning and research; provide technical assistance to industrial and governmental entities; and in cooperation with other state agencies, coordinate economic and enterprise development planning activities of state agencies to ensure that the economic needs of the Border are integrated within a comprehensive state economic development plan Authorizes the Center to offer seminars and conduct conferences and other educational programs concerning the Border economy and economic and enterprise within the state Requires t 45 he board of regents of The University of Texas System to establish the Center at the time determined appropriate by the board considering the money available for that purpose and the best interests of the university Authorizes, but does not require, the board of regents to establish the Center using appropriations or money available, including gifts, grants, and donations, for that purpose Effective Date June 13, 2001 HB 753 (Hochberg/Ellis) – Authorizes The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to jointly offer master’s- and doctoral-level courses and degrees with The University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences The degree programs to be offered are subject to the approval by the Coordinating Board Effective Date May 11, 2001 HB 910 (Gutierrez/Lucio) – Requires the board of regents of The University of Texas System to establish The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center (TAMUHSC) South Texas Center for Rural Public Health (Center) Requires the Center to develop and provide community-based instructional sites for the education of public health professionals and the delivery of health education outreach programs The Center may include other public and private health care or educational institutions in its programs in the area served by the Center The Center may operate education facilities and enter in agreements with other educational entities in the Rio Grande Valley The TAMUHSC will manage the Center and pay its operating costs from the institution's operating funds, or from available funds of any participating institution or other public or private entities The Center could be used to provide public health graduate education or other levels of health education in the area served by the Center in connection with any component institution of The Texas A&M System The Center may also use community outreach programs to provide people receiving education at the Center with necessary experience The Center is subject to continuing supervision by the Coordinating Board Since the Legislature did not appropriate any funds specifically to establish the Center, the board of regents is not required to implement this bill If the board of regents does establish the Center, the Coordinating Board will be required to prepare an impact statement examining the initial implementation of the bill not later than August 31, 2002 Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 1640 (Rangel/Truan) – Authorizes the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to establish and maintain a school of pharmacy as a professional school at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Authorizes the board of regents to prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at other leading American schools of pharmacy and may award those degrees Requires the Coordinating Board to prepare an impact statement examining the initial implementation of this bill and deliver a copy to the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System and to the chairs of the House Higher Education Committee and Senate Education Committee not later than August 31, 2002 (Note: The Legislature authorized $11 million in tuition revenue bonds in HB 658 for the construction of the pharmacy school and $350,000 in general revenue to TAMUK for the start-up costs.) Effective Date May 24, 2001 HB 1685 (Rangel/Bivins) – Authorizes a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit to establish a partnership or affiliation with another entity to offer or conduct courses for academic credit or to offer or operate a degree program under certain circumstances If the governing board or other appropriate official of the institution or unit determines that the partnership or affiliation is consistent with the role and mission established for the institution or 46 unit, if it is in accordance with the degree and certificate programs authorized to be offered by the institution or unit, and if it is consistent with the role and mission of the university system to which the institution or unit belongs, then the partnership or affiliation may be established Otherwise, the partnership or affiliation must be approved by the Coordinating Board The exception is if the partnership or affiliation is established to secure or provide clinical or other similar practical educational experience in connection with a course or degree program authorized to be offer by the institution or unit Effective Date June 17, 2001 HB 1753 (Gutierrez/Zaffirini) – Authorizes The University of Texas-Pan American to enter into a partnership agreement with the South Texas Community College District to allow the district to offer the lower-division courses required for students admitted to a baccalaureate degree program at the university Lower-division courses taken at the community college will transfer automatically to the university on the student’s successful completion of the courses Authorizes the university to establish an extension campus at Rio Grande City to offer the upper-division courses required for students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at the university Requires the Coordinating Board to prepare an impact statement examining the initial implementation of this bill and deliver a copy to the board of regents of The University of Texas System, the board of trustees of the South Texas Community College District and the chairs of the House Higher Education Committee and Senate Education Committee not later than May 31, 2002 Effective Date May 3, 2001 HB 2054 (Coleman/Ellis) – Amends the stated mission of Texas Southern University by designating it as a "statewide general purpose institution of higher education" (rather than “providing other general academic and related programs”) in addition to its designation as a special purpose institution for urban programming Effective Date June 11, 2001 HB 2344 (Oliveira/Lucio) – Deletes the provision in the enabling statute for The University of Texas at Brownsville that limits the total number of lower-division students enrolled in the year preceding the 2005-2006 academic year to no more than 900 students Effective Date June 15, 2001 HB 2840 (Telford/Staples) – Authorizes Texas A&M University-Texarkana to enter into a partnership agreement with Texarkana College in a manner authorized by the Coordinating Board Allows students enrolled at Texarkana College to be simultaneously enrolled at the university as long as they meet the enrollment requirements at the university Effective Date May 21, 2001 HB 3309 (Hochberg/Ellis) – Establishes the Southeast Texas Biotechnology Park Coalition to develop, fund, and operate the Park in the Houston area known as the Texas Medical Center, or the coalition may establish a non-profit corporation to develop and operate the Park The coalition is composed of public and private health-related institutions and other private for-profit, non-profit and governmental institutions The Park will be operated to carry out the mission of 47 the coalition members, enhance economic development of the state from the commercialization of biotechnology research, recruit and retain leading scientists and established biotechnology enterprises, and support the growth and development of new biotechnology enterprises Effective Date June 11, 2001 SB 576 (West, Royce/Jones, Jesse) – Authorizes the establishment of the University of North Texas at Dallas only after the Coordinating Board certifies that enrollment at the University of North Texas System Center at Dallas has reached an enrollment equivalent to 2,500 full-time students for one semester and makes other changes relative to the operation of the University of North Texas System Effective Date May 2, 2001 SB 989 (Ogden/Williams) – Amends the stated mission of Prairie View A&M University by deleting language stating that one of the purposes of the university is to offer programs enabling students with latent aptitudes, talents, and abilities to realize their full potential Effective Date May 3, 2001 SB 1429 (West, Royce/Lewis, Glenn) – Establishes the Center for Relationship Violence Prevention and Intervention at Prairie View A&M University to be managed by the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System Authorizes the Center to provide services and shelter to victims and perpetrators of relationship violence; conduct, coordinate, collect and evaluate research in all areas relating to relationship violence; provide a setting for educational programs relating to relationship violence; serve as a state and national resource for this type of information; develop programs and create partnerships addressing this issue The establishment of the Center is subject to the availability of federal funding The board of regents may not use legislative appropriations to establish or operate the Center Effective Date September 1, 2001 Role and Mission / Institutional Changes Legislation that Failed to Pass HB 1129 (Rangel) – Would have required the Governor and Senate to take into consideration the geographic diversity of the state when making appointments to university governing boards This bill was favorably reported by the House Higher Education Committee and was considered in the House Calendars Committee on April 17 HB 1210 (Garcia) – Would have required the board of regents of the University of North Texas to establish and maintain a school of law within the city limits of Dallas This bill was favorably reported as substituted by the House Higher Education Committee The committee substitute would have required the Coordinating Board to conduct a study on the feasibility of creating a law school at the University of North Texas, rather than establishing the law school This bill was sent to the House Calendars Committee on April 25 HB 1211 (Garcia) – Would have required the board of regents of the University of North Texas to establish and maintain a school of pharmacy at the University of North Texas This bill was favorably reported as substituted by the House Higher Education Committee The committee substitute would have required the Coordinating Board to conduct a study on the feasibility of creating a school of pharmacy at the University of North Texas, rather than establishing the pharmacy school This bill was sent to the House Calendars Committee on April 24 HB 1814 (Wohlgemuth) – Would have exempted certain postsecondary religious institutions from any regulation by an agency or political subdivision of this state with respect to the content or character of the 48 educational program of the institution This bill was considered by the House Higher Education Committee on March 13, but was left pending HB 2521 (Wilson) – Would have established a medical school at Prairie View A&M University This bill was scheduled for a public hearing in the House Higher Education Committee on March 27, but no action was taken (see HB 42, a related bill that passed) HB 3469 (McClendon/West, Royce) – Would have established a medical school at Prairie View A&M University This bill was passed by the full House and was considered by the Senate Education Committee on May 11, but was left pending (see HB 42, a related bill that passed) HB 3568 (George) – Would have consolidated The University of Texas at Arlington and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas into The University of Texas at Dallas This bill was scheduled for a public hearing in the House Higher Education Committee on April 10, but no action was taken HB 3607 (Garcia) – Would have transferred governance of The University of Texas’ Dallas-Fort Worth institutions to the University of North Texas, creating the University of North Texas at Arlington, the University of North Texas at Dallas, and the University of North Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas This bill was considered by the House Higher Education Committee on April 3, but was left pending SB 75 (Haywood) – Would have authorized the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth to establish and operate a facility, program or campus extension in any county This bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee on January 10 SB 1303 (Shapleigh) – Would have established a doctor of medicine degree program at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso This bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee on March 12 TECHNOLOGY / ENGINEERING HB 3028 (Dunnam/Sibley) – Requires the Coordinating Board to conduct an annual state science and engineering fair as part of an outreach program for middle, junior and high school students to promote an interest in science, math, and engineering and to promote workforce development in these fields by providing students with an opportunity to interact with higher education and corporate institutions Authorizes the Coordinating Board to contract with public or private entities to conduct the state fairs and requires the fairs be coordinated with local and regional fairs The first state fair conducted by the Coordinating Board will take place in 2002 at a date and time to be determined by the Board Effective Date June 11, 2001 SB 353 (Ellis/McCall) – Authorizes eligible engineering and computer science institutions and private companies to establish and administer the Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium as a resource-sharing program operated within an eligible institution Requires the consortium to include at least one eligible engineering institution or eligible computer science institution Establishes in the State Treasury a technology workforce development account administered by the Coordinating Board The account will include funds transferred by the Consortium and state matching appropriations The Coordinating Board will make grants from the account to eligible institutions to increase the number of computer science and electrical engineering graduates Requires the Coordinating Board, in awarding grants, to consider certain factors with respect to the engineering or computer science program of each eligible institution Requires the 49 Coordinating Board to appoint an advisory committee of 11 specified members with significant expertise in engineering, computer science, or higher education Requires an eligible engineering or computer science institution that is awarded a grant to report to the Coordinating Board on the use of that grant not later than September of each year Requires the Coordinating Board, not later than October 31 of each year, to provide to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Consortium participants a report consolidated from reports submitted to the Coordinating Board by eligible institutions Requires the Coordinating Board to evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program by appointing an advisory committee Requires the grant program evaluation committee to report the results of its evaluation to the Coordinating Board not later than September of each even-numbered year Requires the Coordinating Board to report the results of the evaluation to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Consortium participants not later than October 31 of each even-numbered year (Note: The Legislature appropriated from the Smart Jobs Fund $10 million for the biennium to the Coordinating Board in the General Appropriations Act, Article IX, Sec 11.22, page IX-119 to fund the program.) Effective Date September 1, 2001 SB 1190 (Ellis/McCall) – Authorizes an institution of higher education, subject to the approval by its governing board, to establish centers to manage, transfer, market, or commercialize technology owned by it or in which it owns an interest Directs the Coordinating Board to prepare a biennial report regarding commercialization activities undertaken by the institutions, and requires institutional input on the report format Effective Date September 1, 2001 Technology Legislation that Failed to Pass HB 660 (Seaman/Van de Putte) – Would have added career and technology education to the objectives for public school education and permitted school districts to provide instruction in career and technology awareness at middle and junior high schools A nine-member Career and Technology Education Advisory Board would have been created, with two members representing higher education, to assist the Texas Education Agency in developing a state plan for career and technology This bill passed the Legislature, but was vetoed by the Governor on June 17 HB 3300 (Solis, Jim) – Would have created the 21st Century Technology College and Careers grant program to strengthen and sustain existing partnerships in each region of the state to better serve the academic and career interests of students and their parents, the workforce needs of employers, and the economic development goals of communities in the 21st century This bill was passed by the full House and referred to the Senate Business and Commerce Committee on May 11 After the bill died, there was an attempt to revive it by adding it to HB 660, but it was removed in conference committee TRANSFER HB 1359 (Villarreal/Shapleigh) – Requires the Coordinating Board to develop a field of study curriculum for at least 10 degree programs designated by the Board as high-demand programs for transfer students and that are common to more than one general academic teaching institution not later than January 1, 2003 The Coordinating Board is also required to report to the Legislature regarding the progress in developing these fields of study curricula Requires the Coordinating Board to develop fields of study curricula for an additional five high-demand degree programs not later than January 1, 2004 and report its progress to the Legislature Requires the Coordinating Board to pursue a management strategy that maximizes efficiency in the development of curricula for different fields of study Requires each institution of higher 50 education, in its course catalogs and website, to publish guidelines addressing the institution’s practices on transfer of course credit In the guidelines, the institution must identify a course by using any common course numbering system adopted by the Coordinating Board Effective Date June 14, 2001 TUITION AND FEES HB 152 (Brown, Fred/Ogden) – Establishes a pilot program for resident undergraduate students who are enrolled for a summer term or session at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University-Kingsville to be charged not more than one-half the amount they would normally be charged The bill requires implementation of this law only if the Legislature specifically appropriates money to the institutions to cover the tuition revenue lost to the institution (Note: The Legislature did not appropriate any funds; therefore this bill will not be implemented.) Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 1403 (Noriega/Van de Putte) – Classifies a non-United States citizen as a Texas resident if they resided in Texas for at least three years with a parent or legal guardian while attending high school, graduated from a Texas public or private high school or received a GED in this state, provides the institution of higher education with an affidavit stating his/her intent to apply for permanent residency, and enrolls for the first time in an institution of higher education after September 1, 2001 Anyone who holds a non-immigrant visa which allows them to establish domicile in the United States or who has applied, or has a petition pending, for permanent residency with the Immigration and Naturalization Services also qualifies for resident tuition Effective Date June 16, 2001 HB 1465 (Kitchen/Barrientos) – Requires the Coordinating Board to establish a pilot project at selected public community colleges to measure the impact of reducing tuition for courses offered at times of low enrollment demand to promote greater access to higher education and more efficient use of community college facilities and resources Requires the governing board of each participating community college to prepare a report on the effects of the reduced tuition on enrollment, facilities, scheduling, and costs to the Coordinating Board not later than October 30, 2002 Requires the Coordinating Board to prepare a report compiling the results of the pilot project to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the House Higher Education Committee and Senate Education Committee not later than December 15, 2002 Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 1467 (Maxey/Barrientos) – Authorizes the governing board of a junior or community college to establish a percentage tuition set-aside for Texas Public Education Grants at a level between percent and 20 percent Effective Date May 26, 2001 HB 1941 (Delisi/Truan) – Reduces the time period that a family member of military personnel must have previously lived in Texas to qualify for resident tuition from one year to six months Effective Date June 11, 2001 HB 2218 (Rangel/Staples) – Authorizes the governing board of an institution of higher education, other than The University of Texas at Austin, to increase the international education 51 fee charged and collected from students registered at the institution contingent on the majority vote of a student referendum Effective Date June 15, 2001 HB 2531 (Junell/Bivins) – Increases student tuition at public institutions of higher education by $2 per semester credit hour each academic year for the next five years beginning in the 200102 academic year (beginning at $42 per hour) Also increases tuition at law schools and graduate or professional pharmacy programs by requiring the tuition rate to be set at a level that is three times the amount currently specified by law (same as SB 1814) Requires each governing board, for billing and catalogue purposes, to accumulate all the tuition that it charges into one tuition charge Prohibits the maximum loan amount per student from being less than an amount equal to the tuition and required fees for the courses in which the student is actually enrolling, unless the institution determines that a lower amount would be in the best interest of the student Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 2575 (Goolsby/Shapiro) – Raises the limit on charges for compulsory student services fees from $150 to $250 collected from a student at an institution of higher education other than The University of Texas at Austin or a component institution of the University of Houston System for any one semester or summer session Requires that in subsequent years, a student election authorizing a fee increase must be held before the fee can be increased by more than 10 percent of the fee approved by the last student election Effective Date June 14, 2001 HB 3524 (Hochberg/Zaffirini) – Authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System to establish a pilot project at The University of Texas at Austin involving not more than two colleges or degree programs designated by the board of regents under which the university charges the same amount of tuition to all undergraduate students enrolled in a college or degree program included in the pilot project Prohibits the board of regents from requiring a fulltime student who pays tuition under the pilot project to pay more tuition than the average amount of tuition that a student not included in the pilot project would be required to pay The board of regents will evaluate the effect of flat-rate tuition charged under the pilot project on the number of semester credit hours taken by students included in the project each semester The board of regents will report the results to the Legislature not later than December 31, 2002 and December 31, 2004 Effective Date June 11, 2001 SB 743 (Lucio/Coleman) – Authorizes students from Mexico attending The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's School of Public Health satellite campuses in El Paso and Brownsville to pay resident tuition rates Entitles a foreign service officer employed by the United States Department of State who is enrolled in an institution of higher education to pay resident tuition if the person is assigned to an office of the department of state that is located in a foreign nation that borders on this state Prohibits the maximum loan amount per student from being greater, rather than less, than an amount equal to the tuition and required fees for the courses in which the student is actually enrolling Effective Date May 14, 2001 52 SB 1472 by (Ogden/Williams) – Raises the cap on the general property deposit that can be charged to a student of a public institution of higher education from $10 to $100 and makes the collection of the fee permissive rather than mandatory Effective Date June 15, 2001 SB 1814 (Ellis/Rangel) – Increases tuition at law schools and graduate or professional pharmacy programs by requiring the tuition rate to be set at a level that is three times the amount currently specified by law (same as HB 2531) Effective Date June 13, 2001 The following bills allow various institutions to establish or increase fees: HB 120 (West, George “Buddy”/Duncan) – Authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System to impose a student intercollegiate athletic fee at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin if it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date May 11, 2001 HB 461 (Crownover/Haywood) – Authorizes the board of regents of the University of North Texas to impose a recreational fee on students if it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Also prohibits the board of regents from increasing this fee by more than 10 percent unless it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 462 (Crownover/Haywood) – Authorizes the board of regents of the University of North Texas to levy fees for medical services Also prohibits the board of regents from increasing this fee by more than 10 percent unless it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date May 28, 2001 HB 467 (Solomons/Nelson) – Authorizes of the board of regents of Texas Woman's University to levy student fees for medical services Also prohibits the board of regents from increasing this fee by more than 10 percent unless it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date May 28, 2001 HB 1023 (Brown, Fred/Ogden) – Authorizes the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to charge an increased maximum recreational sports fee if it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 1024 (Brown, Fred/Ogden) – Authorizes the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to raise the maximum student center complex fee Also prohibits the board of regents from increasing this fee unless it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date June 14, 2001 SB 462 (Duncan/Jones, Delwin) – Authorizes the board of regents of the University of North Texas to levy student fees for medical services Prohibits the board of regents from increasing this fee by more than 10 percent unless it is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date May 11, 2001 53 SB 627 (Staples/Berman) – Authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System to impose an intercollegiate athletics fee on each student enrolled at The University of Texas at Tyler if the fee is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date May 3, 2001 SB 628 (Staples/Berman) – Authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System to impose a recreational facility fee on each student enrolled at The University of Texas at Tyler if the fee is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date May 3, 2001 SB 1498 (Harris/Goodman) – Authorizes the board of regents of The University of Texas System to impose a recreational facility fee on all students at The University of Texas at Arlington if the fee is approved by a majority vote of a student election Effective Date May 18, 2001 Tuition and Fees Legislation that Failed to Pass HB 528 (Bailey) – Would have authorized the governing board of a junior college district to waive the foreign student tuition for a student who is a resident of the Mexico, who registers for lower-division courses at a public junior college operated by the district, and who demonstrates a financial need Would have also required a foreign student for whom the junior college district waived the foreign student tuition to pay tuition at the rate charged Texas residents who reside outside the junior college district This bill was referred to the House Higher Education Committee on January 31 HB 683 (Green) – Would have prohibited colleges and universities from charging a student a fee that would be used for organizations engaging in political or ideological activities unless the student authorized the use of the fee This bill was considered by the House Higher Education Committee on February 20, but was left pending HB 2276 (Giddings) – Would have provided a $500 tuition rebate to community college students who earn an associate degree or certificate within three semester credit hours of the minimum required to complete the program This bill passed the full House and was referred to the Senate Education Committee on May 11 SB 733 – Would have allowed community colleges bordering Mexico to waive the foreign student tuition for Mexican students who demonstrate financial need and would have allowed these students to pay Texas resident tuition This bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee on February 19 TUITION AND FEES – WAIVERS AND EXEMPTIONS HB 459 (Carter/Moncrief) – Amends current law to allow the children of deceased or disabled police officers, fully-paid/volunteer firefighters, custodial employees of the Texas Department of Corrections, or game wardens to receive a tuition and fee exemption for the first 120 undergraduate semester credit hours rather than eight consecutive semesters Effective Date June 11, 2001 HB 877 (Flores/Barrientos) – Provides for an exemption from tuition and fees to a surviving spouse or minor child of a law enforcement officer, fire fighter, and other public safety workers killed in the line of duty Eligibility continues until the student receives a baccalaureate degree or earns 200 hours of course credit, whichever occurs first If the student chooses to live on 54 campus and qualifies for housing, the institution is required to pay the cost of the student's food and housing If there is no space available, the institution is required to pay the student each month the equivalent amount that the institution would have expended had the student lived on campus The institution is also required to pay to the student the cost of the student's textbooks Effective Date September 1, 2001 HB 2279 (Naishtat/Barrientos) – Amends the one-year tuition and fee exemption program for certain recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) by allowing these students to enroll at an institution of higher education as an undergraduate student not later than the second anniversary, rather than the first, of the date of graduation from a public high school in this state Effective Date June 15, 2001 Tuition and Fees – Waivers and Exemptions Legislation that Failed to Pass HB 51 (Chavez) – Would have allowed universities to provide undergraduate tuition and fee exemptions for children of public school teachers and librarians This bill was referred to a subcommittee of the House Higher Education Committee on February 13 HB 172 (Lewis, Glenn) – Would have allowed universities and colleges to exempt peace officers enrolled in criminal justice programs from tuition and fees This bill was referred to a subcommittee of the House Higher Education Committee on March HB 1120 (Turner, Bob) – Would have authorized tuition and fee exemptions for peace officers attending undergraduate courses This bill was referred to the House Higher Education Committee on February HB 2980 (Dukes) – Would have required institutions of higher education to exempt from tuition and fees children of firefighters and peace officers This bill was referred to a subcommittee of the House Higher Education Committee on April (See HB 877, a similar bill that passed) HB 3004 (Bailey) – Would have allowed colleges and universities to exempt from tuition and fees fire fighters disabled in the line of duty This bill was favorably reported by the House Higher Education Committee and was sent to the House Calendars Committee on April 17 (See HB 877, a similar bill that passed) TUITION REVENUE BONDS HB 658 (Junell/Ellis) – Authorizes the issuance of over $1 billion in new tuition revenue bonds to acquire, purchase, construct, improve, renovate buildings, structures, facilities, roads or related infrastructure at certain public institutions of higher education Effective Date September 1, 2001 55 ... OF CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATION LEGISLATION THAT PASSED LEGISLATION THAT FAILED TO PASS 11 HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING 17 MAJOR INCREASES FOR EACH SECTOR OF. .. campus of an institution of higher education regardless of whether the institution of higher education is located within the boundaries of the school district • SB 1419 – eliminates the statute of. .. of higher education; requires school districts and public institutions of higher education to work together to create a plan to increase enrollment rates at institutions of higher education LEGISLATION