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.