Relating to the determination of resident status of students by public institutions of higher education.

HB 1815 modifies Texas law governing in-state tuition eligibility for students at public colleges and universities. It establishes specific requirements for establishing residency: individuals must have established a Texas domicile within one year before the academic term's census date and maintained it continuously for the prior year, while dependents must meet the same standards through their parent's domicile. The bill removes a previous provision that allowed high school graduates to qualify based on prior residence. Students must now submit documentation verifying their residency period and purpose, and the law explicitly prohibits non-U.S. authorized individuals from qualifying for in-state status. This directly affects students applying for in-state tuition rates at Texas public higher education institutions.