(This legislative update has been assembled by the UH System Office of Governmental Relations and edited by the UH Division of University Advancement as a service to the UH System community.)
The Senate Finance Committee was originally scheduled to vote on SB 1 today, but the meeting has been rescheduled for Monday. We anticipate that the full Senate will pass the bill next Wednesday. The House Appropriations Committee wrapped up formal consideration of the appropriations bill yesterday. They plan to take a final vote on March 29, with full House consideration planned for April 7. Once the committee bills have been published, we will provide a detailed comparison.
Tuition deregulation has predictably stirred up considerable debate. Over 50 bills have been filed that affect tuition in one way or another. Many of the bills provide for new tuition exemptions. To provide you with the breadth of these bills, we highlight a few:
HB 2688 by Gallego caps tuition increases at three percent per year.
HB 19 by F. Brown requires a tuition rebate for students who graduate in a timely manner.
HB 1019 by Coleman and HB 2687 by Gallegos effectively rescind tuition deregulation.
HB 3447 by Rodriguez and SB 530 by West fixes tuition at the rate charged to the student as a freshman.
HB 2691 by Gallego exempts National Guardsmen from tuition.
HB 2734 by Guillen and SB 392 by Van de Putte exempt military personnel and their children from tuition in certain circumstances.
HB 2780 by Rodriguez exempts certain graduate students and their spouses and offspring from tuition in certain circumstances.
SB 79 by Shapleigh exempts children of classroom teachers from tuition in certain circumstances.
SB 1228 by Shapiro links tuition increases to an accountability system.
SB 1389 by Ellis links tuition to family income.
SB 1400 by Ellis limits tuition increases to not more than five percent per year.
SB 1484 by Williams allows the legislature to reduce appropriations for institutions that increase tuition beyond a certain level.