BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                             H.B. 741

                                                                                                                                  By: King, Tracy

                                                                                                                                Higher Education

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Currently, the dependents of full-paid peace officers, full-paid firefighters and volunteer firefighters, whom are disabled in the line of duty, receive an exemption from the payment of all dues, fees and charges imposed by Texas institutions of higher education.  Dependants of volunteer peace officers, disabled in the line of duty, are not included under this exemption.

 

Volunteer peace officers receive the same academy training as the commissioned peace officers, and serve their communities along side the full-paid officers.  The volunteer peace officers can be disabled in the line of duty serving their communities, becoming unable to work, thus making their child's higher education difficult to afford.

 

HB 741 extends the higher education tuition exemption to volunteer peace officers disabled in the line of duty.

 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1:  Amends the heading to Section 54.204 of the Education Code to read "Children of Disabled Firefighters and Law Enforcement Officers."

 

SECTION 2:  Amends Sections 54.204 (a), (b), (g), and (h) of the Education Code to include disabled volunteer peace officers in addition to those dependents who are eligible for tuition exemption at public institutions of higher education. 

 

Expands the eligibility for a tuition exemption to include volunteer peace officers and makes conforming changes.

 

SECTION 3:  The changes in this Act go into effect beginning with the 2007 fall semester.  Dues, fees, and charges imposed in a semester or session before the 2007 fall semester are governed by the applicable law in effect before the effective day of this Act.

 

SECTION 4:  Effective Date.

 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.