85R4278 KSD-F     By: West S.B. No. 1782       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the elimination of certain formula funding and dropped   course restrictions for returning adult students at public   institutions of higher education and to the tuition rate that may be   charged to those students for certain excessive undergraduate   hours.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 51.907, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (e-1) to read as follows:          (e-1)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall   adopt rules under which an institution of higher education shall   permit a student to drop one additional course under circumstances   described by Subsection (b) than the number of courses permitted to   be dropped under Subsection (c) or under a policy adopted under   Subsection (d) if the student:                (1)  has reenrolled at the institution following a   break in enrollment covering the 24-month period preceding the   first class day of the initial semester or other academic term of   the student's reenrollment; and                 (2)  successfully completed at least 50 semester credit   hours of course work at the institution before that break in   enrollment.          SECTION 2.  Section 54.014, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:          (b-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), an institution of   higher education may not charge tuition to a resident undergraduate   student at a higher rate under that subsection for semester credit   hours for courses taken by the student that are required to be   included by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in the   formulas established under Section 61.059 by application of Section   61.0595(f-1).           SECTION 3.  Section 61.0595, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (f-1) to read as follows:          (f-1)  In the formulas established under Section 61.059, the   board shall include without consideration of Subsection (a) or (e)   funding for the first 15 additional semester credit hours earned by   a student who:                 (1)  has reenrolled at the institution following a   break in enrollment covering the 24-month period preceding the   first class day of the initial semester or other academic term of   the student's reenrollment; and                 (2)  successfully completed at least 50 semester credit   hours of course work at the institution before that break in   enrollment.          SECTION 4.  Section 51.907, Education Code, as amended by   this Act, applies beginning with the 2017 fall semester.          SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act to Section   61.0595, Education Code, apply beginning with funding   recommendations made under Section 61.059, Education Code, for the   state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2019.          SECTION 6.  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, 2017.