The bill amends the Education Code to clarify the criteria for determining resident status for tuition purposes at public institutions of higher education in Texas. It specifies that individuals not authorized to be present in the United States cannot be considered residents for tuition purposes. The bill removes previous criteria related to high school graduation and continuous residence in the state, focusing instead on domicile establishment and maintenance for both individuals and their dependents. Additionally, it mandates that institutions must notify law enforcement if they discover a student is not authorized to be in the U.S.

Further provisions include the requirement for institutions to reclassify students based on new information regarding their residency status and to charge nonresident tuition if a student is found to have been erroneously classified as a resident. The bill also allows for a lower nonresident tuition rate for certain institutions near state borders, but explicitly states that individuals not authorized to be present in the U.S. are ineligible for this rate. The changes will take effect starting with the fall semester of 2025, with prior laws governing tuition for earlier academic periods.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 54.052, Education Code 54.053, Education Code 54.055, Education Code 54.056, Education Code 54.057, Education Code 54.0601 (Education Code 54)