80R5486 JRJ-D
 
  By: Strama H.B. No. 1300
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to allowing certain military personnel to receive certain
federal and state higher education benefits concurrently.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 54.203(e), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
       (e)  A [The exemption from fees provided for in Subsection
(a) of this section does not apply to a person if at the time of his
registration he is eligible for educational benefits under federal
legislation in effect at the time of his registration if the value
of those benefits is equal to or exceeds the value of the exemption,
except that the person must first utilize the federal benefit for
which he is eligible and the combined amount of the federal benefit
plus the amount of this waiver shall not exceed the maximum value of
the waiver. A person is covered by the exemptions if his right to
benefits under federal legislation is extinguished at the time of
his registration, except that a] person is not eligible for an
exemption from fees under this section if the person's right to
educational benefits under federal law [legislation] is
extinguished because the person is in default of repayment of a loan
made to the person under a federal program to provide or guarantee
loans for educational purposes. A person is not eligible for the
exemption if the person is in default on a loan made or guaranteed
for educational purposes by the State of Texas.
       SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with tuition and fees for the 2007 fall semester. Tuition
and fees for a term or semester before the 2007 fall semester are
covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
       SECTION 3.  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, 2007.