By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1902 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the provision of tuition and fee exemptions, stipends, 1-2 and scholarships for certain former prisoners of war from Texas 1-3 attending a public college or university. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Steven 1-6 Gonzales-Prisoner of War Higher Education Act. 1-7 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 1-8 amended by adding Section 54.219 to read as follows: 1-9 Sec. 54.219. PRISONERS OF WAR. (a) In this section, 1-10 "tuition and required fees" includes tuition, service fees, lab 1-11 fees, building use fees, and all other required fees except room, 1-12 board, or clothing fees or deposits in the nature of security for 1-13 the return or proper care of property. 1-14 (b) For each semester or summer session and for a total 1-15 number of semester credit hours not to exceed 120, the governing 1-16 body of each institution of higher education shall exempt from the 1-17 payment of tuition and required fees any person who: 1-18 (1) is a resident of Texas; 1-19 (2) was first classified as a prisoner of war by the 1-20 United States Department of Defense on or after January 1, 1999; 1-21 and 1-22 (3) is enrolled for at least 12 semester credit hours. 1-23 (c) For each semester or session in which a person receives 1-24 an exemption from tuition and required fees under Subsection (b), 2-1 the governing body of the institution the person attends shall 2-2 exempt the person from the payment of fees and charges for lodging 2-3 and board if the person resides on the campus of the institution. 2-4 If the person does not reside on the campus of the institution, the 2-5 institution shall provide to the person a reasonable stipend to 2-6 cover the costs of the person's lodging and board. 2-7 (d) For each semester or session in which a person receives 2-8 an exemption from tuition and required fees under Subsection (b), 2-9 the governing body of the institution the person attends shall 2-10 award to the person a scholarship to cover the costs of books and 2-11 similar educational materials required for course work at the 2-12 institution. 2-13 (e) An institution may use any available revenue, including 2-14 legislative appropriations, and shall solicit and accept gifts, 2-15 grants, and donations for the purposes of this section. The 2-16 institution shall use gifts, grants, and donations received for the 2-17 purposes of this section before using any other revenue. 2-18 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 1999 fall 2-19 semester. 2-20 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-25 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-26 passage, and it is so enacted.