By Hilderbran, Coleman H.B. No. 1479
74R5842 SMH-D
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 or during the month in which the student
1-17 graduated from a public high school in this state, was a dependent
1-18 child receiving financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human
1-19 Resources Code;
1-20 (4) is younger than 22 years of age on the date of
1-21 enrollment;
1-22 (5) enrolls at the institution as an undergraduate
1-23 student not later than the second anniversary of the date of
1-24 graduation from a public high school in this state;
2-1 (6) has met the entrance examination requirements of
2-2 the institution before the date of enrollment; and
2-3 (7) is classified as a resident under Subchapter B.
2-4 Sec. 54.213. ONE-YEAR EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN EARLY HIGH
2-5 SCHOOL GRADUATES. A student is exempt from the payment of tuition
2-6 and fees authorized by this chapter for the first academic year in
2-7 which the student enrolls at an institution of higher education if
2-8 the student:
2-9 (1) successfully completed the requirements for
2-10 graduation from a public high school in this state in less than
2-11 four academic years;
2-12 (2) successfully completed the attendance requirements
2-13 under Section 21.032;
2-14 (3) has the written approval of a parent, legal
2-15 guardian, or conservator of the student;
2-16 (4) is younger than 22 years of age on the date of
2-17 enrollment;
2-18 (5) enrolls at the institution as an undergraduate
2-19 student not later than the second anniversary of the date of
2-20 successful completion of the requirements for graduation from a
2-21 public high school in this state;
2-22 (6) has met the entrance examination requirements of
2-23 the institution before the date of enrollment; and
2-24 (7) is classified as a resident under Subchapter B.
2-25 Sec. 54.214. RECOVERY OF COST OF CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS. (a)
2-26 Not later than September 15 of each year, the governing board of
2-27 each institution of higher education shall notify the Texas Higher
3-1 Education Coordinating Board of:
3-2 (1) the number of students enrolled in the institution
3-3 who are receiving an exemption under Section 54.212 or 54.213; and
3-4 (2) the amount of tuition and fees exempted by the
3-5 institution under Section 54.212 or 54.213 for that academic year.
3-6 (b) Not later than October 1 of each year, the Texas Higher
3-7 Education Coordinating Board shall notify the commissioner of
3-8 education and the foundation school fund budget committee of:
3-9 (1) the number of students enrolled in institutions of
3-10 higher education who are receiving an exemption under Section
3-11 54.212 or 54.213; and
3-12 (2) the amount of tuition and fees at institutions of
3-13 higher education exempted under Section 54.212 or 54.213 for that
3-14 academic year.
3-15 (c) On receipt of a notice under Subsection (b), the
3-16 commissioner of education shall pay the Texas Higher Education
3-17 Coordinating Board out of money appropriated for the foundation
3-18 school program an amount equal to the amount of tuition and fees at
3-19 institutions of higher education exempted under Section 54.212 or
3-20 54.213 for that academic year.
3-21 (d) On receipt of a payment under Subsection (c), the Texas
3-22 Higher Education Coordinating Board shall pay each institution of
3-23 higher education an amount equal to the amount of tuition and fees
3-24 exempted by the institution under Section 54.212 or 54.213 for that
3-25 academic year.
3-26 (e) The commissioner of education and the foundation school
3-27 fund budget committee shall consider the cost of the exemptions
4-1 from tuition and fees at institutions of higher education provided
4-2 by Sections 54.212 and 54.213 in estimating the money needed for
4-3 foundation school program purposes.
4-4 SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with tuition and fees
4-5 collected for the fall semester of 1995.
4-6 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-12 passage, and it is so enacted.