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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 dependents. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.341, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (c), (d), and (l) and adding Subsection (o) to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) A person may not receive exemptions provided for by this |
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section for more than a cumulative total of 135 [150] credit hours. |
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(d) The governing board of each institution of higher |
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education granting an exemption under this section shall require |
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each applicant claiming the exemption to submit to the institution |
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an application for the exemption and satisfactory evidence that the |
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applicant qualifies for the exemption not later than the 12th class |
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day of the semester or term to which the exemption applies [one year
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after the earlier of the date the institution:
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[(1)
provides written notice to the applicant of the
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applicant's eligibility for the exemption; or
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[(2)
receives a written acknowledgement from the
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applicant evidencing the applicant's awareness of the applicant's
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eligibility for the exemption]. |
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(l) To be eligible to receive an exemption under Subsection |
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(k), the child must: |
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(1) be a student who is classified as a resident under |
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Subchapter B when the child enrolls in an institution of higher |
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education; and |
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(2) meet the [make] satisfactory academic progress |
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requirements of this section [in a degree, certificate, or
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continuing education program as determined by the institution at
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which the child is enrolled in accordance with the policy of the
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institution's financial aid department, except that the
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institution may not require the child to enroll in a minimum course
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load]. |
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(o) To receive an exemption provided by this section, a |
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person otherwise eligible for the exemption must make satisfactory |
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academic progress toward a degree or certificate at the institution |
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by maintaining an overall grade point average of at least 2.5 on a |
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4-point scale or the equivalent on all course work attempted by the |
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person at the institution. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with tuition and fees for the 2013 fall semester. Tuition |
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and fees for a term or semester before the 2013 fall semester are |
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covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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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 on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |