By: West  S.B. No. 1531          (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2021; March 24, 2021, read   first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;   April 8, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,   Nays 0; April 8, 2021, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   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.  Section 54.014, Education Code, as amended by   this Act, applies beginning with tuition charged for the 2023 fall   semester.          SECTION 4.  Section 61.0595, Education Code, as amended by   this Act, applies beginning with funding recommendations made under   Section 61.059, Education Code, for the state fiscal biennium   beginning September 1, 2023.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.     * * * * *