The bill amends the Education Code regarding the determination of resident status for students at public institutions of higher education in Texas. It specifies that individuals can be considered residents if they have established and maintained a domicile in the state for at least one year before the census date of the academic term in which they are enrolled. The bill removes the previous criteria that allowed individuals who graduated from a Texas high school or received an equivalent diploma to qualify for resident status, thereby streamlining the requirements to focus solely on domicile. Additionally, it introduces a new provision stating that individuals not authorized under federal law to be present in the U.S. cannot be considered residents for the purposes of this title.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the information required to establish resident status, which includes statements regarding the duration of residence and the intent to maintain a domicile. It also allows public institutions to reclassify students from resident to nonresident status under certain conditions, particularly if they do not meet the new eligibility criteria or are not authorized to be in the U.S. This reclassification can occur before the start of a 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)