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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the exemption from tuition and fees at a public |
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institution of higher education for adopted students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.2111(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees |
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authorized by this chapter if the student: |
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(1) was adopted; and |
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(2) was the subject of an adoption assistance |
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agreement under Subchapter D, Chapter 162, Family Code, that: |
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(A) provided monthly payments and medical |
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assistance benefits; and |
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(B) was not limited to providing only for the |
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reimbursement of nonrecurring expenses, including reasonable and |
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necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney's fees, and other |
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expenses directly related to the legal adoption of the child. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, the change in law made by this Act applies beginning with |
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tuition and fees charged at a public institution of higher |
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education for the 2007 fall semester. Tuition and fees charged for |
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an academic period before the 2007 fall semester are covered by the |
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law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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(b) The change in law made by this Act does not apply to a |
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student who was enrolled in a public institution of higher |
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education and qualified for an exemption from tuition and fees |
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under Section 54.2111(a), Education Code, for any academic term of |
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the 2006-2007 academic year. A student described by this |
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subsection is entitled to an exemption from tuition and fees under |
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Section 54.2111(a), Education Code, as that section existed |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, until the |
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earlier of: |
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(1) the date the student completes the degree program |
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in which the student was last enrolled in the 2006-2007 academic |
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year or another degree program of the same level; or |
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(2) the fourth anniversary of the date the student |
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initially enrolled in the degree program in which the student was |
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last enrolled in the 2006-2007 academic year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |