By Hilderbran, Cuellar of Webb, et al. H.B. No. 780 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 780: By Hunter C.S.H.B. No. 780 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of 1-3 higher education for certain students. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 54.211 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 54.211. ONE-YEAR EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN AFDC STUDENTS. 1-8 A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees authorized 1-9 by this chapter for the first academic year in which the student 1-10 enrolls at an institution of higher education if the student: 1-11 (1) graduated from a public high school in this state; 1-12 (2) has successfully completed the attendance 1-13 requirements under Section 21.032 of this code; 1-14 (3) during the student's last year of public high 1-15 school in this state or during the month in which the student 1-16 graduated from a public high school in this state was a dependent 1-17 child receiving financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human 1-18 Resources Code; 1-19 (4) is under the age of 22 on the date of enrollment; 1-20 (5) enrolls at the institution as an undergraduate 1-21 student not later than the second anniversary of the date of 1-22 graduation from a public high school in this state; 1-23 (6) has met all college entrance exam requirements 1-24 imposed by the institution before the date of enrollment at the 2-1 institution; and 2-2 (7) is a Texas resident as provided by Subchapter B of 2-3 this chapter. 2-4 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 2-5 amended by adding Section 54.212 to read as follows: 2-6 Sec. 54.212. ONE-YEAR EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN AFDC EARLY HIGH 2-7 SCHOOL GRADUATES. (a) The purpose of this section is to increase 2-8 efficiency in the foundation school program and to provide a 2-9 one-year exemption from the payment of tuition and fees to students 2-10 under this section to enable those students to attend institutions 2-11 of higher education. 2-12 (b) A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees 2-13 authorized by this chapter for the first year in which the student 2-14 enrolls at an institution of higher education if the student: 2-15 (1) has the written approval of at least one of the 2-16 student's parents or a person standing in parental relation to the 2-17 student; 2-18 (2) has successfully completed the requirements for a 2-19 public high school diploma in less than four years and graduated or 2-20 is eligible for graduation from a public high school in this state; 2-21 (3) is a Texas resident as provided by Subchapter B of 2-22 this chapter; 2-23 (4) has successfully completed the attendance 2-24 requirements under Section 21.032 of this code; 2-25 (5) during the student's last year of public high 2-26 school in this state or during the month in which the student 2-27 graduated from a public high school in this state was a dependent 3-1 child receiving financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human 3-2 Resources Code; 3-3 (6) is under the age of 22 on the date of enrollment; 3-4 and 3-5 (7) has met all college entrance exam requirements 3-6 imposed by the institution before the date of enrollment at the 3-7 institution. 3-8 (c) The exemption from the payment of tuition and fees under 3-9 this section is financed under the foundation school program. 3-10 Funding for the exemption is not subject to Section 16.254(d) of 3-11 this code. Not later than October 1 of each year, the Texas Higher 3-12 Education Coordinating Board shall file a report with the 3-13 commissioner of education and the foundation school fund budget 3-14 committee. The report shall include the number of students who are 3-15 entitled to the exemption, the amount of tuition and fees exempted 3-16 at institutions of higher education, and a projection of future 3-17 funding for the exemption. Out of funds appropriated for the 3-18 foundation school program, the commissioner of education shall 3-19 transfer to the coordinating board each year an amount sufficient 3-20 to fund the exemption for students who are entitled to the 3-21 exemption under Subsection (b) of this section. The coordinating 3-22 board shall distribute to an institution of higher education an 3-23 amount equal to the amount of tuition and fees exempted under this 3-24 section for each student who is enrolled at the institution and who 3-25 is entitled to the exemption. The commissioner of education and 3-26 the foundation school fund budget committee shall consider the 3-27 costs of the exemption in estimating the funds needed for 4-1 foundation school program purposes. 4-2 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with tuition and fees 4-3 collected for the fall semester of 1993. 4-4 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 4-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 4-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 4-10 passage, and it is so enacted.