The bill amends the Education Code regarding the determination of resident status for students at public institutions of higher education in Texas. It modifies Section 54.052 by removing the criteria that allowed individuals who graduated from a Texas high school or received an equivalent diploma to be classified as residents. Instead, it focuses on individuals who establish and maintain a domicile in Texas for at least one year before the census date of the academic term. Additionally, the bill introduces a new provision stating that individuals not authorized under federal law to be present in the United States cannot be considered residents for the purposes of this title.

Furthermore, the bill updates Section 54.053, which outlines the information required to establish resident status. It eliminates the requirement for statements related to the residency of individuals who graduated from high school in Texas. The bill also allows public institutions to reclassify students from resident to nonresident status if they do not meet the new criteria or if they are not authorized to be in the U.S. This reclassification can occur before the start of any semester or academic term. The changes are set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 54.052, Education Code 54.053 (Education Code 54)