Sec. 54.017. FIXED TUITION PRICE PLAN FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT CERTAIN GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. (a) In this section, "general academic teaching institution" and "public state college" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.

(b) This section applies only to a general academic teaching institution other than a public state college.

(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 agrees not to increase tuition charges per semester credit hour for a participating student for at least the first 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 subject to any restrictions or qualifications adopted by the governing board. For purposes of this section, one or more summer terms occurring in the same summer is considered a semester.

(d) Unless the institution does not offer other tuition payment options, an institution to which this section applies may require an entering undergraduate student to accept or reject participation in the fixed tuition price plan offered under this section before the date of the student's initial enrollment at the institution.

(e) This section does not require an institution to which this section applies to offer a variable tuition price plan or other tuition payment options to undergraduate students enrolled in the institution.

(f) Fees charged by an institution to a student participating in a fixed tuition price plan under this section may not exceed the fees charged by the institution to a similarly situated student who elects not to participate in the plan, if the institution offers other tuition payment options. For purposes of this subsection, students are similarly situated if they share the same residency status, degree program, course load, course level, and other circumstances affecting the fees charged to the students.

(g) This section does not apply to the tuition charged by an institution to which this section applies to a student who enters the institution for the first time before the 2014 fall semester.

Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1129 (H.B. 29), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.