S.B. No. 1531
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to formula funding for excess undergraduate credit hours
  at public institutions of higher education and to the tuition rate
  that may be charged for those credit hours.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 54.014, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to
  read as follows:
         (a)  An institution of higher education may charge a resident
  undergraduate student tuition at a higher rate than the rate
  charged to other resident undergraduate students, not to exceed the
  rate charged to nonresident undergraduate students, if before the
  semester or other academic session begins the student has
  previously attempted a number of semester credit hours for courses
  taken at any institution of higher education while classified as a
  resident student for tuition purposes that exceeds [by at least 30
  hours] the number of semester credit hours required for completion
  of the degree program in which the student is enrolled by at least:
               (1)  for an associate degree program, 15 hours; or
               (2)  for a baccalaureate degree program, 30 hours.
         (a-1)  For purposes of Subsection (a) [this subsection], an
  undergraduate student who is not enrolled in a degree program is
  considered to be enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program [or
  programs requiring a minimum of 120 semester credit hours,
  including minors and double majors, and for completion of any
  certificate or other special program in which the student is also
  enrolled, including a program with a study-abroad component].
         (a-2)  An institution of higher education that charges
  students tuition at a higher rate under Subsection (a) [this
  subsection] may adopt a policy under which the institution exempts
  from the payment of that higher rate a student that is subject to
  the payment of the higher rate solely as a result of hardship as
  determined by the institution under the policy.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 61.0595(a) and (b), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  In the formulas established under Section 61.059, the
  board may not include funding for semester credit hours earned by a
  resident undergraduate student who before the semester or other
  academic session begins has previously attempted a number of
  semester credit hours for courses taken at any institution of
  higher education while classified as a resident student for tuition
  purposes that exceeds [by at least 30 hours] the number of semester
  credit hours required for completion of the degree program or
  programs in which the student is enrolled, including minors and
  double majors, and for completion of any certificate or other
  special program in which the student is also enrolled, including a
  program with a study-abroad component, by at least:
               (1)  for an associate degree program, 15 hours; or
               (2)  for a baccalaureate degree program, 30 hours.
         (b)  For purposes of Subsection (a), an undergraduate
  student who is not enrolled in a degree program is considered to be
  enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program [requiring a minimum of
  120 semester credit hours].
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  54.014, Education Code, applies beginning with tuition charged to
  students enrolling for the first time in an associate degree
  program at a public institution of higher education for the 2023
  fall semester.  Tuition charged to a student who first enrolled in
  an associate degree program at a public institution of higher
  education before the 2023 fall semester is governed 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 4.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
  61.0595, Education Code, applies beginning with funding
  recommendations made under Section 61.059, Education Code, for the
  state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2023, for semester
  credit hours earned by students initially enrolling in an associate
  degree program at a public institution of higher education for the
  2023 fall semester or a subsequent semester or term.  Funding
  recommendations for semester credit hours earned by a student who
  initially enrolled in an associate degree program at a public
  institution of higher education before the 2023 fall semester are
  governed 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 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1531 passed the Senate on
  April 19, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 2021, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1531 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 73,
  Nays 72, one present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor