85R784 KSD-D     By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2033       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the fixed tuition price plan offered by certain general   academic teaching institutions.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 54.017, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to   read as follows:          (c)  The governing board of an institution to which this   section applies shall offer entering undergraduate students,   including undergraduate students who transfer to the institution,   the opportunity to participate in a fixed tuition price plan under   which the institution, subject to any restrictions or   qualifications adopted by the governing board, agrees:                (1)  not to increase tuition charges per semester   credit hour for a participating student for at least the first 18   [12] consecutive semesters that occur after the date of the   student's initial enrollment at any public or private institution   of higher education, regardless of whether the student enrolls at   any institution in those semesters; and                (2)  to provide to any student participating in the   fixed tuition price plan:                      (A)  a rebate of tuition charges, in an amount   prescribed by the institution, if the student is awarded a   baccalaureate degree by the institution within four calendar years   after the date of the student's initial enrollment at any public or   private institution of higher education; and                      (B)  a rebate of tuition charges, in an amount   prescribed by the institution that is less than the rebate amount   prescribed under Paragraph (A), if the student does not qualify for   a rebate under Paragraph (A) and is awarded a baccalaureate degree   by the institution within five calendar years after the date of the   student's initial enrollment at any public or private institution   of higher education.          (c-1)  An institution to which this section applies shall   provide to each entering undergraduate student, at the time the   student is offered the opportunity to participate in the   institution's fixed tuition price plan, detailed information   regarding the tuition rebates offered by the institution under   Subsection (c)(2), including the amounts of those rebates [, and   subject to any restrictions or qualifications adopted by the   governing board].          (c-2)  For purposes of this section, one or more summer terms   occurring in the same summer is considered a semester.          SECTION 2.  Section 54.017, Education Code, as amended by   this Act, applies beginning with fixed tuition price plans offered   to entering students at general academic teaching institutions for   the 2018 fall semester. Fixed tuition price plans offered to   entering students at general academic teaching institutions for a   semester or term before the 2018 fall semester are governed by the   law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and   that law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2018.