By Rosson S.B. No. 114
74R2271 JSA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to exempting certain veterans of the armed forces, the
1-3 surviving children of certain members of the armed forces, and
1-4 other persons with military-related service from tuition, fees, and
1-5 charges at public institutions of higher education.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. Sections 54.203(a) and (b), Education Code, are
1-8 amended to read as follows:
1-9 (a) The governing board of each institution of higher
1-10 education shall exempt the following persons from the payment of
1-11 all dues, fees, and charges, including fees for correspondence
1-12 courses but excluding property deposit fees, student services fees,
1-13 and any fees or charges for lodging, board, or clothing, provided
1-14 the persons seeking the exemptions <demonstrate financial need as
1-15 defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,> were
1-16 citizens of Texas at the time they entered the services
1-17 indicated<,> and have resided in Texas for at least the period of
1-18 12 months before the date of registration:
1-19 (1) all nurses and honorably discharged members of the
1-20 armed forces of the United States who served during the
1-21 Spanish-American War or during World War I;
1-22 (2) all nurses, members of the Women's Army Auxiliary
1-23 Corps, members of the Women's Auxiliary Volunteer Emergency
1-24 Service, and all honorably discharged members of the armed forces
2-1 of the United States who served during World War II except those
2-2 who were discharged from service because they were over the age of
2-3 38 or because of a personal request on the part of the person that
2-4 he be discharged from service;
2-5 (3) all honorably discharged men and women of the
2-6 armed forces of the United States who served during the national
2-7 emergency which began on June 27, 1950, and which is referred to as
2-8 the Korean War; and
2-9 (4) all persons who were honorably discharged from the
2-10 armed forces of the United States after serving on active military
2-11 duty, excluding training, for more than 180 days during the Cold
2-12 War which began on the date of the termination of the national
2-13 emergency cited in Subdivision (3) of this subsection.
2-14 (b) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) of this
2-15 section also apply and inure to the benefit of the children of
2-16 members of the armed forces of the United States who are or were
2-17 killed in action, who die or died while in service, who are missing
2-18 in action, or whose death is documented to be directly caused by
2-19 illness or injury connected with service in the armed forces of the
2-20 United States, and to the benefit of orphans of members of the
2-21 Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard killed since
2-22 January 1, 1946, while on active duty either in the service of
2-23 their state or the United States. However, to qualify for this
2-24 exemption a person must be a citizen of Texas<, must demonstrate
2-25 financial need as defined by the Texas Higher Education
2-26 Coordinating Board,> and must have resided in the state for at
2-27 least 12 months immediately preceding the date of the person's
3-1 <his> registration.
3-2 SECTION 2. This Act applies to tuition, fees, and charges
3-3 imposed beginning with the fall semester 1995.
3-4 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-10 passage, and it is so enacted.