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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to reporting and data collection requirements in relation |
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to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher |
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education for certain military personnel and their family members. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.341(h), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(h) The governing board of each institution of higher |
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education shall electronically report to the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board [Veterans Commission] the information required |
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by Section 61.0516 [434.00791, Government Code,] relating to each |
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individual receiving an exemption from fees and charges under |
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Subsection (a), (a-2), (b), or (k). The institution shall report |
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the information not later than January 31 of each year for the fall |
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semester, June 30 of each year for the spring semester, and |
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September 30 of each year for the summer session. |
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SECTION 2. Section 434.00791, Government Code, is |
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transferred to Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, |
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redesignated as Section 61.0516, Education Code, and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0516 [434.00791]. ELECTRONIC SYSTEM TO MONITOR |
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TUITION EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. [(a) In this |
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section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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[(b)] The board [commission] shall maintain [ensure] a |
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system to electronically monitor the use of tuition and fee |
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exemptions at institutions of higher education under Section |
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54.341[, Education Code, is developed]. The system must allow the |
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board [commission] to electronically receive, for each semester, |
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the following information from institutions of higher education: |
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(1) the name of the institution; |
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(2) the name, identification number, and date of birth |
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of each individual attending the institution and receiving benefits |
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for the semester under Section 54.341[, Education Code]; |
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(3) for each individual receiving benefits, the number |
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of credit hours for which the individual received an exemption for |
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the semester; |
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(4) for each individual receiving benefits at the |
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institution during the semester, the total cumulative number of |
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credit hours for which the individual has received an exemption at |
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the institution; and |
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(5) any other information required by the board |
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[commission]. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with tuition and fee exemptions under Section 54.341, |
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Education Code, for the 2023 fall semester. Tuition and fee |
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exemptions for a term or semester before the 2023 fall semester are |
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governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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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, 2023. |