By: Rosson, Montford, Truan S.B. No. 114
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to exempting certain veterans of the armed forces, the
1-2 surviving children of certain members of the armed forces, and
1-3 other persons with military-related service from tuition, fees, and
1-4 charges at public institutions of higher education.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Subsections (a) and (b), Section 54.203,
1-7 Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-8 (a) The governing board of each institution of higher
1-9 education shall exempt the following persons from the payment of
1-10 all dues, fees, and charges, including fees for correspondence
1-11 courses but excluding property deposit fees, student services fees,
1-12 and any fees or charges for lodging, board, or clothing, provided
1-13 the persons seeking the exemptions <demonstrate financial need as
1-14 defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,> were
1-15 citizens of Texas at the time they entered the services
1-16 indicated<,> and have resided in Texas for at least the period of
1-17 12 months before the date of registration:
1-18 (1) all nurses and honorably discharged members of the
1-19 armed forces of the United States who served during the
1-20 Spanish-American War or during World War I;
1-21 (2) all nurses, members of the Women's Army Auxiliary
1-22 Corps, members of the Women's Auxiliary Volunteer Emergency
1-23 Service, and all honorably discharged members of the armed forces
1-24 of the United States who served during World War II except those
2-1 who were discharged from service because they were over the age of
2-2 38 or because of a personal request on the part of the person that
2-3 he be discharged from service;
2-4 (3) all honorably discharged men and women of the
2-5 armed forces of the United States who served during the national
2-6 emergency which began on June 27, 1950, and which is referred to as
2-7 the Korean War; and
2-8 (4) all persons who were honorably discharged from the
2-9 armed forces of the United States after serving on active military
2-10 duty, excluding training, for more than 180 days during the Cold
2-11 War which began on the date of the termination of the national
2-12 emergency cited in Subdivision (3) of this subsection.
2-13 (b) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) of this
2-14 section also apply and inure to the benefit of the children of
2-15 members of the armed forces of the United States who are or were
2-16 killed in action, who die or died while in service, who are missing
2-17 in action, or whose death is documented to be directly caused by
2-18 illness or injury connected with service in the armed forces of the
2-19 United States, and to the benefit of orphans of members of the
2-20 Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard killed since
2-21 January 1, 1946, while on active duty either in the service of
2-22 their state or the United States. However, to qualify for this
2-23 exemption a person must be a citizen of Texas<, must demonstrate
2-24 financial need as defined by the Texas Higher Education
2-25 Coordinating Board,> and must have resided in the state for at
2-26 least 12 months immediately preceding the date of the person's
2-27 <his> registration.
3-1 SECTION 2. This Act applies to tuition, fees, and charges
3-2 imposed beginning with the fall semester 1995.
3-3 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-9 passage, and it is so enacted.
3-10 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
3-11 Amend S.B. 114 as follows:
3-12 Amend Section 1(a)(4) to read as follows:
3-13 (4) all persons who were honorably discharged from the
3-14 armed forces of the United States after serving on active military
3-15 duty, excluding training, for more than 180 days and who served a
3-16 portion of their active duty during:
3-17 (A) the Vietnam era which began on December 21,
3-18 1961, and ended on May 7, 1975; or
3-19 (B) the Grenada and Lebanon era which began on
3-20 August 24, 1982 and ended on July 31, 1984; or
3-21 (C) the Panama era which began on December 20,
3-22 1989, and ended on January 21, 1990; or
3-23 (D) the Persian Gulf War which began August 2,
3-24 1990, and ends on the date thereafter prescribed by Presidential
3-25 proclamation or September 1, 1997, whichever occurs first; or
3-26 (E) any future national emergency declared in
3-27 accordance with federal law.
4-1 Add to Section 1 a Subsection (c) to read as follows:
4-2 (c) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) of this
4-3 section shall not exceed a cumulative total of 150 credit hours.
4-4 Ogden