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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the exemption of tuition and laboratory fees at public |
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institutions of higher education for certain paramedics. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 54.353, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.353. FIREFIGHTERS OR PARAMEDICS ENROLLED IN FIRE |
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SCIENCE COURSES. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.353, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsection (e-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory |
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fees any student enrolled in one or more courses offered as part of |
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a fire science curriculum who: |
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(1) is employed as a firefighter or a paramedic by a |
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political subdivision of this state; or |
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(2) is currently, and has been for at least one year, |
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an active member of an organized volunteer fire department |
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participating in the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System or |
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a retirement system established under the Texas Local Fire Fighters |
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Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) and |
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who holds: |
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(A) an Accredited Advanced level of |
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certification, or an equivalent successor certification, under the |
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State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas volunteer |
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certification program; or |
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(B) Phase V (Firefighter II) certification, or an |
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equivalent successor certification, under the Texas Commission on |
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Fire Protection's voluntary certification program under Section |
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419.071, Government Code. |
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(e-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the governing board |
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of an institution of higher education may, in accordance with Texas |
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Higher Education Coordinating Board rule, exclude from the |
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exemption under this section a course that is offered through |
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distance education. |
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(f) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt: |
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(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an |
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exemption under this section, including rules: |
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(A) prescribing the educational attainment or |
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level of certification necessary to qualify for an exemption as a |
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paramedic; |
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(B) relating to the determination of a student's |
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eligibility for an exemption; and |
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(C) relating to the exclusion from the exemption |
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under Subsection (e-1) of a distance education course, including |
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prescribing the maximum number of distance education courses that |
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may be excluded from the exemption under that subsection; and |
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(2) a uniform listing of degree programs covered by |
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the exemption under this section. |
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SECTION 3. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board shall adopt the rules required by Section 54.353(f), |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable after |
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the effective date of this Act. |
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(b) Section 54.353, Education Code, as amended by this Act, |
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applies beginning with tuition and laboratory fees charged for the |
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2021 fall semester. Tuition and laboratory fees charged for an |
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academic period before that semester are covered by the law in |
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effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |