By Carter, et al. H.B. No. 459
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to higher education tuition and fee exemptions for
1-3 children of dead or disabled firefighters or peace officers.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 54.204(a)(1), Education Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 (1) "Eligible employee" means a full-paid or volunteer
1-8 firefighter [fireman], or a full-paid municipal, county, or state
1-9 peace officer, or a custodial employee of the Texas Department of
1-10 Corrections, or a game warden[, who has a child under 21 years of
1-11 age].
1-12 SECTION 2. Section 54.204, Education Code, is amended by
1-13 amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read
1-14 as follows:
1-15 (c) A person is not entitled to the exemption if the person
1-16 [he]:
1-17 (1) does not apply initially for the exemption before
1-18 the date the person:
1-19 (A) [he] becomes 21 years of age, if the person
1-20 is not covered by Paragraph (B); or
1-21 (B) becomes 22 years of age, if the person is
1-22 eligible to participate in a school district's special education
1-23 program under Section 29.003;
1-24 (2) does not meet all entrance requirements of the
2-1 institution; [or]
2-2 (3) does not maintain a scholastic average sufficient
2-3 to remain in good standing; or
2-4 (4) does not establish financial need as determined by
2-5 coordinating board rule.
2-6 (d) Subject to Subsection (e), a [A] person may receive
2-7 [loses his right to] an exemption only for the first 120
2-8 undergraduate semester credit hours [after eight consecutive
2-9 semesters, not including summer semesters, beginning with the first
2-10 semester] for which the person [he] registers.
2-11 (e) A person is not entitled to an exemption for any term or
2-12 semester the person begins after the date the person becomes 26
2-13 years of age.
2-14 SECTION 3. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
2-15 only to a person who applies for an exemption from dues, fees, and
2-16 charges under Section 54.204, Education Code, on or after the
2-17 effective date.
2-18 (b) This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote
2-19 of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided
2-20 by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does
2-21 not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes
2-22 effect September 1, 2001.