1-1 By: Rosson, Montford S.B. No. 114
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed December 2, 1994; January 16, 1995,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
1-4 January 26, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas
1-5 9, Nays 0; January 26, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to exempting certain veterans of the armed forces, the
1-9 surviving children of certain members of the armed forces, and
1-10 other persons with military-related service from tuition, fees, and
1-11 charges at public institutions of higher education.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Subsections (a) and (b), Section 54.203,
1-14 Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-15 (a) The governing board of each institution of higher
1-16 education shall exempt the following persons from the payment of
1-17 all dues, fees, and charges, including fees for correspondence
1-18 courses but excluding property deposit fees, student services fees,
1-19 and any fees or charges for lodging, board, or clothing, provided
1-20 the persons seeking the exemptions <demonstrate financial need as
1-21 defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,> were
1-22 citizens of Texas at the time they entered the services
1-23 indicated<,> and have resided in Texas for at least the period of
1-24 12 months before the date of registration:
1-25 (1) all nurses and honorably discharged members of the
1-26 armed forces of the United States who served during the
1-27 Spanish-American War or during World War I;
1-28 (2) all nurses, members of the Women's Army Auxiliary
1-29 Corps, members of the Women's Auxiliary Volunteer Emergency
1-30 Service, and all honorably discharged members of the armed forces
1-31 of the United States who served during World War II except those
1-32 who were discharged from service because they were over the age of
1-33 38 or because of a personal request on the part of the person that
1-34 he be discharged from service;
1-35 (3) all honorably discharged men and women of the
1-36 armed forces of the United States who served during the national
1-37 emergency which began on June 27, 1950, and which is referred to as
1-38 the Korean War; and
1-39 (4) all persons who were honorably discharged from the
1-40 armed forces of the United States after serving on active military
1-41 duty, excluding training, for more than 180 days during the Cold
1-42 War which began on the date of the termination of the national
1-43 emergency cited in Subdivision (3) of this subsection.
1-44 (b) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) of this
1-45 section also apply and inure to the benefit of the children of
1-46 members of the armed forces of the United States who are or were
1-47 killed in action, who die or died while in service, who are missing
1-48 in action, or whose death is documented to be directly caused by
1-49 illness or injury connected with service in the armed forces of the
1-50 United States, and to the benefit of orphans of members of the
1-51 Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard killed since
1-52 January 1, 1946, while on active duty either in the service of
1-53 their state or the United States. However, to qualify for this
1-54 exemption a person must be a citizen of Texas<, must demonstrate
1-55 financial need as defined by the Texas Higher Education
1-56 Coordinating Board,> and must have resided in the state for at
1-57 least 12 months immediately preceding the date of the person's
1-58 <his> registration.
1-59 SECTION 2. This Act applies to tuition, fees, and charges
1-60 imposed beginning with the fall semester 1995.
1-61 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-62 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-63 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-64 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-65 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-66 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-67 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-68 * * * * *