By Lucio S.B. No. 1902 76R14496 KEL-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the provision of tuition and fee exemptions, stipends, 1-3 and scholarships for certain former prisoners of war from Texas 1-4 attending a public college or university. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Steven 1-7 Gonzales-Prisoner of War Higher Education Act. 1-8 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 1-9 amended by adding Section 54.219 to read as follows: 1-10 Sec. 54.219. PRISONERS OF WAR. (a) In this section, 1-11 "tuition and required fees" includes tuition, service fees, lab 1-12 fees, building use fees, and all other required fees except room, 1-13 board, or clothing fees or deposits in the nature of security for 1-14 the return or proper care of property. 1-15 (b) For each semester or summer session and for a total 1-16 number of semester credit hours not to exceed 120, the governing 1-17 body of each institution of higher education shall exempt from the 1-18 payment of tuition and required fees any person who: 1-19 (1) is a resident of Texas; 1-20 (2) was first classified as a prisoner of war by the 1-21 United States Department of Defense on or after January 1, 1999; 1-22 and 1-23 (3) is enrolled for at least 12 semester credit hours. 1-24 (c) For each semester or session in which a person receives 2-1 an exemption from tuition and required fees under Subsection (b), 2-2 the governing body of the institution the person attends shall 2-3 exempt the person from the payment of fees and charges for lodging 2-4 and board if the person resides on the campus of the institution. 2-5 If the person does not reside on the campus of the institution, the 2-6 institution shall provide to the person a reasonable stipend to 2-7 cover the costs of the person's lodging and board. 2-8 (d) For each semester or session in which a person receives 2-9 an exemption from tuition and required fees under Subsection (b), 2-10 the governing body of the institution the person attends shall 2-11 award to the person a scholarship to cover the costs of books and 2-12 similar educational materials required for course work at the 2-13 institution. 2-14 (e) An institution may use any available money, including 2-15 legislative appropriations, and may solicit and accept gifts, 2-16 grants, and donations for the purposes of this section. 2-17 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 1999 fall 2-18 semester. 2-19 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-24 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-25 passage, and it is so enacted.