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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 for certain military |
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personnel and their spouses and dependent children for |
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under-enrolled undergraduate classes at public institutions of |
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higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 54.2032 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.2032. MILITARY, SPOUSES, AND CHILDREN: |
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UNDER-ENROLLED CLASSES. (a) In this section, "dependent child" |
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has the meaning assigned by Section 54.209. |
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(b) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall permit a person to enroll for course credit without |
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payment of tuition in an undergraduate class offered by the |
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institution, for which the maximum enrollment established for the |
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class has not been met if the person: |
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(1) is classified as a resident of this state under |
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Subchapter B; |
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(2) is a member or veteran of the Texas Military Forces |
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or is the spouse or dependent child of such a person; and |
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(3) satisfies other criteria established by this |
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section. |
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(c) A person who has not been admitted as a regular student |
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of the institution must meet the minimum academic criteria for |
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admission to the institution at which the under-enrolled class is |
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offered to enroll in the class under this section. A person must |
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meet the minimum prerequisites and other enrollment criteria for |
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the class to enroll in the class under this section. |
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(d) This section does not apply to a person who at the time |
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of registration is: |
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(1) eligible for a tuition and fee exemption under |
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Section 54.203; or |
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(2) entitled to receive educational benefits for |
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veterans under federal law that may be used for the payment of |
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tuition. |
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(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules to provide for the efficient and uniform application of |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.2032, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2011 fall semester. |
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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, 2011. |