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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to tuition exemptions at public institutions of higher |
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education for certain professional nursing program preceptors and |
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their children. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.222, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt from the payment of $500 of the total amount |
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of tuition a resident of this state enrolled as a student at the |
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institution who: |
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(1) is a registered nurse; and |
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(2) serves [is serving] under a written preceptor |
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agreement with an undergraduate professional nursing program as a |
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clinical preceptor for students enrolled in the program. |
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(b-1) A person is entitled to an exemption under Subsection |
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(b) for one semester or other academic term for each [the] semester |
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or other academic term during [for] which the person serves as a |
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clinical preceptor as described by Subsection (b). The person may |
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claim the exemption in: |
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(1) the semester or other academic term in which the |
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person serves as a clinical preceptor; or |
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(2) a different semester or other academic term that |
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begins before the first anniversary of the last day of a semester or |
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other academic term described by Subdivision (1), if the person |
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does not claim the exemption in the semester or other term during |
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which the person serves as a clinical preceptor [exemption is
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sought]. |
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(c) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt from the payment of $500 of the total amount |
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of tuition a resident of this state enrolled as an undergraduate |
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student at the institution who is a child of a person who meets the |
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requirements of Subsection (b) [Subsections (b)(1) and (2)]. The |
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child is entitled to an exemption for one semester or other academic |
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term for each semester or other academic term during which the |
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parent serves as a clinical preceptor. The child may claim the |
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exemption in any semester or other academic term during which the |
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parent could have claimed an exemption under Subsection (b). The |
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child's eligibility for an exemption is not affected by whether the |
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parent also received an exemption under Subsection (b) for the same |
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qualifying service as a clinical preceptor. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with tuition charged for the 2007 fall semester. |
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Beginning with that semester, the governing board of a public |
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institution of higher education shall grant a tuition exemption in |
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accordance with Section 54.222, Education Code, as amended by this |
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Act, regardless of whether the qualifying service as a clinical |
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preceptor occurred before the effective date of this Act. Tuition |
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charged for a semester or term before the 2007 fall semester is |
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covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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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. |