By: Shapiro S.B. No. 1491 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to testing and remedial education of students 55 years of 1-2 age or older and to tuition and fees charged to those students at 1-3 public institutions of higher education. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 51.306, Education Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Subsection (q) to read as follows: 1-7 (q) An institution may exempt a non-degree-seeking or 1-8 non-certificate-seeking student who will be 55 years of age or 1-9 older on the first class day of a term or semester from the testing 1-10 requirements imposed by this section as a condition for enrollment 1-11 during that term or semester in a course. 1-12 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 54.067 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 54.067. STUDENTS 55 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. (a) An 1-15 institution of higher education may charge a student 55 years of 1-16 age or older tuition and fees at rates that are lower than the 1-17 rates otherwise provided by this chapter, under the condition that 1-18 a student under 55 years of age will not be precluded from 1-19 enrolling in a course for credit toward a degree or certificate. 1-20 The institution may set additional qualifications that a student 1-21 must meet to qualify for tuition and fees at rates set under this 1-22 section and may set different rates for different programs, 1-23 campuses, or courses. The institution may set rates under this 1-24 section for resident students, nonresident students, or both, and 2-1 may set different rates for resident students and nonresident 2-2 students. 2-3 (b) A tuition or fee rate set under this section must apply 2-4 uniformly to each student that meets the applicable qualifications 2-5 set by the institution to pay tuition or fees at that rate. 2-6 (c) The legislature in an appropriations act shall account 2-7 for the rates authorized by Subsection (a) in a way that does not 2-8 increase the general revenue appropriations to that institution. 2-9 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-15 passage, and it is so enacted.