By: Strama, Gonzalez Toureilles H.B. No. 544
      (Senate Sponsor - Watson)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2007;
  May 15, 2007, read first time and referred to Subcommittee on
  Higher Education; May 18, 2007, reported favorably from Committee
  on Education by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 18, 2007,
  sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to reduced tuition and fees for certain junior college
  district students who reside outside of the district.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 130.0032(c), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  The governing board of a public junior college district
  may allow a person who resides outside the district to pay tuition
  and fees at a rate less than the rate applicable to other persons
  residing outside the district, but not less than the rate
  applicable to a student who resides in the district, if the person:
               (1)  resides within the service area of the district;
  and
               (2)  [does not reside in an independent school district
  that meets the criteria of the coordinating board for the
  establishment of a junior college district under Section 130.013;
  and
               [(3)]  demonstrates financial need in accordance with
  rules adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies
  beginning with tuition and fees for the 2007 fall semester.  Tuition
  and fees for a term or semester before the 2007 fall semester are
  covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
  of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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