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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to conditions on the receipt of tuition and fee exemptions |
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at public institutions of 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 54.2001 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.2001. CONTINUED RECEIPT OF EXEMPTIONS CONDITIONAL. |
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(a) Notwithstanding any other law but subject to Subsection (d), |
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after initially qualifying under this subchapter for a mandatory or |
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discretionary exemption from the payment of tuition or other fees |
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for enrollment during a semester or term at an institution of higher |
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education, a person may continue to receive the exemption for a |
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subsequent semester or term only if the person: |
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(1) makes satisfactory academic progress toward a |
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degree or a certificate as determined by the institution in |
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accordance with the institution's policy regarding eligibility for |
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financial aid; and |
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(2) as of the beginning of the semester or term, has |
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not completed more than six semester credit hours in excess of the |
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minimum number of semester credit hours required to complete the |
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person's degree or certificate program. |
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(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), the computation of a |
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person's total number of completed semester credit hours includes |
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transfer credit hours that count toward the person's degree or |
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certificate program course requirements, but excludes: |
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(1) hours earned exclusively by examination; |
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(2) hours earned for a course for which the person |
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received credit toward the person's high school academic |
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requirements; and |
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(3) hours earned for developmental coursework that an |
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institution of higher education required the person to take under |
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Section 51.3062 or under the former provisions of Section 51.306. |
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(c) If on the completion of any semester or term a person |
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fails to meet any requirement of Subsection (a), the person may not |
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receive an exemption from the payment of tuition or other fees |
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described by Subsection (a) for the next semester or term in which |
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the person enrolls. A person may become eligible to receive an |
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exemption in a subsequent semester or term if the person: |
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(1) completes a semester or term during which the |
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person is not eligible for an exemption; and |
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(2) meets each requirement of Subsection (a). |
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(d) If a requirement imposed by this section for the |
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continued receipt of a specific exemption conflicts with another |
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requirement imposed by statute for that exemption, the stricter |
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requirement prevails. |
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(e) This section does not apply to the exemption provided by |
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Section 54.216 or to any other exemption provided to a high school |
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student for enrollment in a dual credit course or other course for |
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which the student may earn joint high school and college credit. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to |
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eligibility for an exemption from the payment of tuition or other |
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fees beginning with tuition and fees charged for the 2012 spring |
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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. |