HBA-LJP H.B. 1941 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1941 By: Delisi Higher Education 67/10/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under previous state law, the spouse or dependent child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, who was not assigned to duty in Texas but previously resided in Texas for a year, was entitled to pay Texas resident rates at a state institution of higher education. If the member did not fulfill the requirement of one year of previous residence in Texas, then the spouse or the dependent child of the member would have to pay the nonresident Texas rate, a rate that the spouse or dependent child of the member may not have been 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 June 11, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the fall semester 2001.