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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the award of course credit to a student at a public |
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institution of higher education for the completion of military |
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service. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.3042 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.3042. AWARD OF COURSE CREDIT FOR MILITARY SERVICE. |
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(a) In this section, "institution of higher education" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) An institution of higher education shall award to an |
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undergraduate student who is admitted to the institution, including |
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a student who is readmitted under Section 51.9242, course credit |
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for all physical education courses required by the institution for |
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an undergraduate degree and for additional semester credit hours, |
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not to exceed 12, that may be applied to satisfy any elective course |
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requirements for the student's degree program for courses outside |
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the student's major or minor if the student: |
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(1) graduated from a public or private high school in |
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this state accredited by a generally recognized accrediting |
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organization or from a high school operated by the United States |
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Department of Defense; and |
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(2) is an honorably discharged former member of the |
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armed forces of the United States who: |
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(A) completed at least two years of service in |
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the armed forces; or |
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(B) was discharged because of a disability. |
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(c) This section does not prohibit an institution of higher |
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education from awarding additional course credit for a student's |
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military service as the institution considers appropriate. |
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(d) An institution of higher education may adopt rules |
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requiring reasonable proof from a student of the fact and duration |
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of the student's military service and of the student's military |
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discharge status. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.3042, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies to a student attending an institution of higher |
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education, without regard to whether the student was admitted to |
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the institution before the effective date of this Act. |
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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, 2009. |