HBA-JLV H.B. 1465 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1465
By: Kitchen
Higher Education
7/17/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Prior to the 77th Legislature, law did not permit governing boards of
public community colleges to offer reduced tuition rates during off-peak,
less popular times.  Some community college administrators believe that the
ability to offer reduced tuition rates allow for a better utilization of
resources and a more efficient use of facilities.  House Bill 1465 requires
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish a pilot project
to measure the impact of reducing tuition for junior college courses
offered at times of low enrollment demand. 

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 1465 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to establish a pilot project to
measure the impact of reducing tuition for junior college courses offered
at times of low enrollment demand in order to promote greater access to
higher education and more efficient use of junior college facilities and
resources.  THECB is required to select a reasonable number of public
junior colleges to participate in the pilot project.  

The bill authorizes the governing board of a public junior college selected
to participate in the pilot project to charge reduced tuition rates for
students if the governing board makes a finding that the reduced tuition
rate is reasonably necessary to enable the junior college to make efficient
use of its facilities or faculty.  The finding must be stated in the order
or resolution establishing the reduced tuition rate.  The bill provides
that by charging tuition  at a reduced rate, the right of a junior college
to a proportionate share of state appropriations for the contact hours
attributable to students paying tuition at the reduced rate is not
affected. 

The bill requires the governing board of each public junior college
participating in the pilot project to prepare a report on the effects of
the reduced tuition on enrollment, facilities, scheduling, and costs and to
deliver a copy of the report to the coordinating board not later than
October 30, 2002. 

The bill requires THECB to prepare a report compiling the results of the
pilot project at the public junior colleges participating in the pilot
project and to submit a copy of the report not later than December 15,
2002, to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and the chair of the standing committee of each house of
the legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher education. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  The Act applies beginning with the fall semester 2001.