By Turner of Coleman                                  H.B. No. 1120
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the higher education of peace officers.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Chapter 54, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-5     Section 54.2081 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 54.2081.  Peace Officers. (a)  The governing board of an
 1-7     institution of higher education may exempt a student from the
 1-8     payment of tuition and required fees authorized by this chapter for
 1-9     a course for which space is available if the student:
1-10                 (1)  is a resident of this state and has resided in
1-11     this state for the 12 months immediately preceding the beginning of
1-12     the semester or session for which an exemption is sought; and
1-13                 (2)  is a peace officer as defined by Article 2.12 of
1-14     the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure;
1-15           (b)  A person may not receive an exemption under this section
1-16     for more than 12 semesters or sessions while the person is enrolled
1-17     in an undergraduate program or while the person is attending only
1-18     undergraduate courses.
1-19           (c)  A person may not receive an exemption under this section
1-20     if the person is enrolled in a master's degree program or is
1-21     attending postgraduate courses to meet the requirements of a
1-22     master's degree program and the person has previously received a
 2-1     master's degree and received an exemption under this section for a
 2-2     semester or session while attending a postgraduate course to meet
 2-3     the requirements of the master's degree program.
 2-4           (d)  A person may not receive an exemption under this section
 2-5     if the person is enrolled in a doctoral degree program or is
 2-6     attending postgraduate courses to meet the requirements of a
 2-7     doctoral degree program and the person has previously received a
 2-8     doctoral degree and received an exemption under this section for a
 2-9     semester or session while attending a postgraduate course to meet
2-10     the requirements of the doctoral degree program.
2-11           (e)  A person must apply for an exemption in the manner
2-12     provided by the governing board of the institution.  The governing
2-13     board shall require an applicant for an exemption to submit
2-14     satisfactory evidence that the applicant is eligible for the
2-15     exemption.
2-16           (f)  The legislature, in an appropriations act, shall account
2-17     for the rates of tuition and fees authorized by Subsection (a) in a
2-18     way that does not increase the general revenue appropriations to
2-19     that institution.