By Shapiro S.B. No. 1491 74R7913 JSA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to testing and remedial education of students 55 years of 1-3 age or older and to tuition and fees charged to those students at 1-4 public institutions of higher education. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 51.306, Education Code, is amended by 1-7 adding Subsection (q) to read as follows: 1-8 (q) An institution may exempt a person who will be 55 years 1-9 of age or older on the first class day of a term or semester from 1-10 the testing requirements imposed by this section as a condition for 1-11 enrollment during that term or semester in a course for credit 1-12 toward a degree or certificate. 1-13 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 1-14 amended by adding Section 54.067 to read as follows: 1-15 Sec. 54.067. STUDENTS 55 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. (a) An 1-16 institution of higher education may charge a student 55 years of 1-17 age or older tuition and fees at rates that are lower than the 1-18 rates otherwise provided by this chapter. The institution may set 1-19 additional qualifications that a student must meet to qualify for 1-20 tuition and fees at rates set under this section and may set 1-21 different rates for different programs, campuses, or courses. The 1-22 institution may set rates under this section for resident students, 1-23 nonresident students, or both, and may set different rates for 1-24 resident students and nonresident students. 2-1 (b) A tuition or fee rate set under this section must apply 2-2 uniformly to each student that meets the applicable qualifications 2-3 set by the institution to pay tuition or fees at that rate. 2-4 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-10 passage, and it is so enacted.