By: Thibaut, Guillen H.B. No. 2347

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to tuition and laboratory fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain peace officers enrolled in criminal justice or law enforcement management-related course work.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 54.208, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 54.208. FIREFIGHTERS AND PEACE OFFICERS [FIREMEN] ENROLLED IN CERTAIN [FIRE SCIENCE] COURSES. (a) The governing board of an institution of higher education [boards of the state institutions of collegiate rank supported in whole or in part by public funds] shall exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory fees a student [any person] who:

(1) is employed as a firefighter [fireman] by a [any] political subdivision of this [the] state and who enrolls in a course or courses offered as part of a fire science curriculum; or

(2) is employed as a peace officer by the state or by a political subdivision of this state and who enrolls in a course or courses offered as part of a criminal justice or law enforcement management-related curriculum.

(b) An [The] exemption provided under this section does not apply to deposits that [which] may be required in the nature of security for the return or proper care of property loaned for the use of students.

(c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt:

(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an exemption under this section, including rules relating to the determination of a student's eligibility for an exemption; and

(2) a uniform listing of degree programs covered by the exemption under this section.

(d) If the legislature does not specifically appropriate funds to an institution of higher education in an amount sufficient to pay the institution's costs in complying with this section for a semester, the governing board of the institution of higher education shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee the cost to the institution of complying with this section for that semester.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act to Section 54.208, Education Code, apply beginning with tuition and laboratory fees charged for the 2009 fall semester. Tuition and laboratory fees charged for an academic period before the 2009 fall semester are covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.