By Hilderbran, Coleman                                H.B. No. 1479
                                 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 Sections 54.212, 54.213, and 54.214 to read as
    1-7  follows:
    1-8        Sec. 54.212.  ONE-YEAR EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN AFDC STUDENTS.
    1-9  A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees authorized
   1-10  by this chapter for the first academic year in which the student
   1-11  enrolls at an institution of higher education if the student:
   1-12              (1)  graduated from a public high school in this state;
   1-13              (2)  successfully completed the attendance requirements
   1-14  under Section 21.032;
   1-15              (3)  during the student's last year of public high
   1-16  school in this state, was a dependent child receiving financial
   1-17  assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, for not less
   1-18  than six months;
   1-19              (4)  is younger than 22 years of age on the date of
   1-20  enrollment;
   1-21              (5)  enrolls at the institution as an undergraduate
   1-22  student not later than the first anniversary of the date of
   1-23  graduation from a public high school in this state;
   1-24              (6)  has met the entrance examination requirements of
    2-1  the institution before the date of enrollment; and
    2-2              (7)  is classified as a resident under Subchapter B.
    2-3        Sec. 54.213.  ONE-YEAR EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN EARLY HIGH
    2-4  SCHOOL GRADUATES.  A student is exempt from the payment of tuition
    2-5  and fees authorized by this chapter for the first academic year in
    2-6  which the student enrolls at an institution of higher education if
    2-7  the student:
    2-8              (1)  successfully completed the requirements for
    2-9  graduation from a public high school in this state in less than
   2-10  four academic years;
   2-11              (2)  successfully completed the attendance requirements
   2-12  under Section 21.032;
   2-13              (3)  has the written approval of a parent, legal
   2-14  guardian, or conservator of the student;
   2-15              (4)  is younger than 22 years of age on the date of
   2-16  enrollment;
   2-17              (5)  enrolls  at the institution as an undergraduate
   2-18  student not later than the second anniversary of the date of
   2-19  successful completion of the requirements for graduation from a
   2-20  public high school in this state;
   2-21              (6)  has met the entrance examination requirements of
   2-22  the institution before the date of enrollment; and
   2-23              (7)  is classified as a resident under Subchapter B.
   2-24        Sec. 54.214.  FUNDING EXEMPTIONS.  An institution of higher
   2-25  education may fund tuition exemptions under Section 54.212 or
   2-26  54.213 from local funds or from funds appropriated to the
   2-27  institution.  An institution of higher education is not required to
    3-1  provide tuition exemptions beyond those funded through
    3-2  appropriations specifically designated for this purpose.
    3-3        SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with tuition and fees
    3-4  collected for the fall semester of 1995.
    3-5        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-6  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-7  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-8  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-9  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   3-10  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   3-11  passage, and it is so enacted.