BILL ANALYSIS |
H.B. 2347 |
By: Thibaut |
Public Safety |
Committee Report (Unamended) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, only firefighters are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees to state institutions of higher education for courses that are part of a fire science curriculum. There is no similar exemption for peace officers who are enrolled in courses related to a criminal justice or law enforcement management curriculum. In an effort to improve the law enforcement profession, many believe that Texas peace officers should be encouraged to receive a college education. Providing a tuition exemption would enable more officers to obtain better training and education.
H.B. 2347 exempts peace officers employed by political subdivisions from the payment of tuition and fees to a state institution of higher education providing the officer is enrolled in a course or courses offered as part of a criminal justice or law enforcement management-related curriculum.
|
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
H.B. 2347 amends the Education Code to extend the exemption from the payment of tuition and laboratory fees to an institution of higher education for a firefighter enrolled in fire sciences courses to a peace officer who is employed by a political subdivision of Texas and who is enrolled in a course or courses offered as part of a criminal justice or law enforcement management-related curriculum designed for peace officers. The bill makes its provisions applicable beginning with tuition and laboratory fees charged for the 2009 fall semester.
|
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.
|