BILL ANALYSIS

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Lamar State College-Orange (LSCO) enrolls students who live in the surrounding area, including some students from Louisiana. LSCO receives formula funding for all students who take classes in person, regardless of where they live. Since the pandemic, LSCO has expanded its online options for students and many students are enrolled in both in-person and online classes. However, if a student�s physical address is outside of the state, the institution does not receive formula funding for online classes taken by that student. This bill would give LSCO formula funding for those students who live in the adjacent parish (Calcasieu Parish) and take classes online. Texas A&M Texarkana has a similar provision for students from the adjacent county in Arkansas. There is no known opposition.

S.B. 646 amends current law relating to formula funding for certain nonresident students enrolled at Lamar State College�Orange.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 61.059, Education Code, by adding Subsection (n-1), as follows:

(n-1) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in the formula applicable to Lamar State College�Orange for funding instruction and administration, to include any contact hours taught through distance education to students enrolled at that college who reside in another state and:

(1) as permitted by Section 54.231(a) (relating to nonresident tuition fees), pay tuition at the rate charged to residents of this state; and

(2) reside in a county or parish in the other state that is contiguous to the county in which the college is located.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.