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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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adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsections (b-1), (g), and |
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(h) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) also |
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apply to the spouse of: |
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(1) a member of the armed forces of the United States: |
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(A) who was killed in action; |
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(B) who died while in service; |
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(C) who is 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; or |
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(2) a member of the Texas National Guard or the Texas |
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Air National Guard who: |
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(A) was killed since January 1, 1946, while on |
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active duty either in the service of this state or the United |
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States; or |
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(B) is 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 eligible |
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to receive disability benefits from the department, as a result of a |
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service-related injury suffered since January 1, 1946, while on |
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active duty either in the service of this state or the United |
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States. |
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(b-1) To qualify for an exemption under Subsection (a-1) or |
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(b), a person must be a citizen of Texas and must have resided in the |
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state for at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of the |
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person's registration. |
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(g) The governing board of a junior college district may |
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establish a fee for extraordinary costs associated with a specific |
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course or program and may provide that the exemptions provided by |
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Subsections (a), (a-1), and (b) do not apply to this fee. |
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(h) The governing board of each institution of higher |
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education shall electronically report to the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board the information required by Section 61.0516 |
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relating to each individual receiving an exemption from fees and |
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charges under Subsection (a), (a-1), or (b). The institution shall |
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report the information not later than December 31 of each year for |
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the fall semester, May 31 of each year for the spring semester, and |
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September 30 of each year for the summer session. |
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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 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 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. |