By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 101
(In the Senate - Filed November 17, 2004; February 1, 2005,
read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and
Military Installations; April 4, 2005, reported adversely, with
favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4,
Nays 0; April 4, 2005, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 101 By: Van de Putte
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to efficiently administering and electronically
monitoring certain veterans' and dependents' tuition exemptions at
institutions of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 54.203, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (h) and (i) to read as follows:
(h) The governing board of each institution of higher
education shall electronically report to the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board the information required by Section 61.0516
relating to each individual receiving an exemption from fees and
charges under Subsection (a) or (b). The institution shall report
the information not later than December 31 of each year for the fall
semester, May 31 of each year for the spring semester, and September
30 of each year for the summer session.
(i) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt
rules to provide for the efficient and uniform application of this
section.
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.0516 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.0516. ELECTRONIC SYSTEM TO MONITOR TUITION
EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND DEPENDENTS. The board shall develop a
system to electronically monitor the use of tuition exemptions
under Section 54.203. The system must allow the board to
electronically receive, for each semester, the following
information from institutions of higher education:
(1) the name of the institution;
(2) the name, identification number, and date of birth
of each individual attending the institution and receiving benefits
for the semester under Section 54.203;
(3) for each individual receiving benefits, the number
of credit hours for which the individual received an exemption for
the semester;
(4) for each individual receiving benefits at the
institution during the semester, the total cumulative number of
credit hours for which the individual has received an exemption at
the institution; and
(5) any other information required by the board.
SECTION 3. Not later than October 1, 2005, the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board shall develop the system required by
Section 61.0516, Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
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