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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 students who have been under the |
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conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 54.211, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.211. EXEMPTIONS FOR STUDENTS UNDER CONSERVATORSHIP |
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OF DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES [IN FOSTER OR OTHER
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RESIDENTIAL CARE]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.211(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees |
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authorized in this chapter if the student: |
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(1) was [in foster care or other residential care] |
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under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services [on or after]: |
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(A) on the day preceding the student's 18th |
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birthday; |
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(B) on or after the day of the student's 14th |
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birthday, if the student was also eligible for adoption on or after |
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that day; [or] |
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(C) on the day the student graduated from high |
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school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma; or |
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(D) during an academic term in which the student |
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was enrolled in a dual credit course or other course for which a |
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high school student may earn joint high school and college credit; |
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and |
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(2) enrolls in an institution of higher education as |
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an undergraduate student or in a dual credit course or other course |
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for which a high school student may earn joint high school and |
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college credit not later than: |
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(A) the third anniversary of the date the student |
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was discharged from the conservatorship of the Department of Family |
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and Protective Services [foster or other residential care], the |
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date the student graduated from high school, or the date the student |
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received the equivalent of a high school diploma, whichever date is |
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earliest; or |
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(B) the student's 21st birthday. |
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SECTION 3. Section 54.211, 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 2009 fall semester. Tuition and other fees charged for an |
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academic period before that semester are covered by the law in |
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effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. 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. |