SRC-AXB S.B. 526 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 526
76R2039  JSA-DBy: Luna
Veterans Affairs
3/5/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the cost of tuition per hour at a state-supported institution is
about $69.  Several benefits for the State of Texas have been cited as a
result of waiving tuition for members of the Texas Military Forces.  Some
of the benefits include:  diversifying the military forces and providing
welltrained soldiers to respond to Texas emergencies; providing better
educated and more easily trained Texans for emerging technology jobs; and
assisting in retention and recruiting of qualified National Guard
candidates.  Waiving tuition may also respond to the Hopwood v. Texas
decision to assist in recruiting minority students for universities.
Providing educational assistance to members of the military forces is
estimated to cost between $2.7 and $5 million depending on the number of
applicants.  This bill would create a tuition assistance program for all
enlisted grades of the military forces in Texas, and sets forth
reimbursement procedures for institutions of higher learning. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 526 creates a tuition assistance program for eligible
members of the state military forces, and sets forth provisions regarding
tuition exemption and reimbursement procedures with institutions of higher
learning. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 431F, Government Code, by adding Section
431.090, as follows: 

Sec.  431.090.  TUITION ASSISTANCE.  Provides tuition assistance to
eligible members of the state military forces (soldier) for the purpose of
encouraging voluntary membership, improving the soldiers' education level,
diversifying the composition of the forces, and enhancing Texas' workforce.
Defines "institution of higher education."  Sets forth eligibility
requirements for a person receiving tuition assistance.  Requires the
adjutant general (general) to grant tuition assistance to eligible persons,
and sets forth consideration requirements for the general.  Authorizes the
general to grant tuition awards as the general considers necessary to meet
recruitment and retention needs.  Prohibits the number of tuition awards to
members of the Texas State Guard from exceeding 30 for any semester, unless
the general finds a compelling need to do so.  Sets forth courses for which
tuition assistance can be awarded.  Prohibits a person from receiving
tuition assistance if the person exceeds a certain number of credit hours
or semesters.  Requires the general to submit a list of tuition assistance
recipients to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by a certain
deadline.  Requires the coordinating board to determine if there is enough
money to fund tuition awards subsequent to receipt of the general's list.
Requires the coordinating board to notify the general of insufficient
tuition award funds, which will require the general to reduce the number of
awards and submit a revised list of awardees. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 54D, Education Code, by adding Section 54.2155,
as follows: 

Sec.  54.2155.  PAYMENT OF TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF STATE MILITARY
FORCES.  Requires the coordinating board to use a certain procedure to
certify  to certain educational institutions the persons granted tuition
awards by the general.  Requires an educational institution to exempt
certain persons from tuition payment, under certain conditions.  Prohibits
the amount of tuition exemption from exceeding that which a person would be
charged as a Texas resident, under certain conditions regarding the amount
of credit hours.  Requires the coordinating board to reimburse an
educational institution in an equal amount to the amount of tuition
exemption granted to a person under Subsection (a), from funds appropriated
for the purposes of this section. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  January 1, 2000.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.