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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 at public institutions of |
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higher education for the spouses of certain 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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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-2) to read as |
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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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(1) the children of a member [members] of the armed |
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forces of the United States: |
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(A) who was [are or were] killed in action; |
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(B) who [die or] died while in service; |
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(C) who is [are] missing in action; |
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(D) 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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(E) who became 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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(2) the [orphans or] children and the current or |
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surviving spouse of a member [members] of the Texas National Guard |
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and the Texas Air National Guard who: |
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(A) was [were] killed since January 1, 1946, |
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while on active duty either in the service of this [their] state or |
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the United States; or |
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(B) is [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 member is [members
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are] eligible to receive disability benefits from the department, |
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as a result of a service-related injury suffered since January 1, |
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1946, while on active duty either in the service of this state or |
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the United States. |
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(b-2) The eligibility of a spouse under Subsection (b) for |
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an exemption provided for in Subsection (a) expires on the earlier |
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of: |
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(1) the date the spouse remarries; or |
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(2) the 10th anniversary of: |
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(A) the date of the death of the member of |
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the Texas National Guard or the Texas Air National Guard, as |
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applicable; or |
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(B) the date the member was initially |
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determined to be totally disabled as described by Subsection |
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(b)(2)(B). |
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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 2009 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, 2009. |