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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to tuition and fee exemptions for the spouses of certain |
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military personnel. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.203, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (b)(3), (b)(4), and (e-1) to read as follows: |
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(b) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) of this |
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section also apply and inure to the benefit of: |
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(3) the spouses of members of the armed forces of the |
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United States: |
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(A) who are or were killed in action; |
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(B) who die or died while in service; |
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(C) who are missing in action; |
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(F) whose death is documented to be directly |
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caused by illness or injury connected with service in the armed |
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forces of the United States; or |
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(G) who become totally disabled for purposes of |
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employability according to the disability ratings of the Department |
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of Veterans Affairs as a result of a service-related injury; and |
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(4) spouses of members of the Texas National Guard and |
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the Texas Air National Guard who: |
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(A) are totally disabled for purposes of |
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employability according to the disability ratings of the Department |
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of Veterans Affairs, regardless of whether the members are eligible |
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to receive disability benefits from the department, as a result of a |
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service-related injury suffered since January 1, 1946, while on |
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active duty either in the service of this state or the United |
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States. |
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(e-1) A person is not eligible for an exemption under this |
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section if the person is the former spouse of a totally disabled |
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member of the armed forces of the United States, Texas National |
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Guard, or the Texas Air National Guard. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.203, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with tuition and other fees charged for |
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the first term or semester that begins after the effective date of |
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this Act, but not earlier than the 2007 fall semester. Tuition and |
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other fees charged for an academic period before that term or |
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semester are covered by the law in effect immediately before the |
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effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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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. |