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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of |
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higher education for certain county jailers and law enforcement |
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telecommunicators. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.3531(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to 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 charged by the institution for a criminal justice or law |
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enforcement course or courses an undergraduate student who: |
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(1) is employed [as a peace officer] by this state or |
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by a political subdivision of this state as: |
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(A) a peace officer; |
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(B) a county jail guard under Section 85.005, |
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Local Government Code; or |
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(C) a telecommunicator required to hold a |
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telecommunicator license issued under Chapter 1701, Occupations |
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Code; |
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(2) is enrolled in a criminal justice or law |
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enforcement-related degree program at the institution; |
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(3) is making satisfactory academic progress toward |
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the student's degree as determined by the institution; and |
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(4) applies for the exemption at least one week before |
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the last date of the institution's regular registration period for |
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the applicable semester or other term. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.3531, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with tuition and other fees charged for |
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the 2023 fall semester. Tuition and other fees charged for an |
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academic period before that semester are governed 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 3. 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, 2023. |