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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing a public junior college district to exempt |
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from the payment of tuition and fees certain students enrolled |
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concurrently in certain training programs and adult education |
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courses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 130, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 130.0901 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 130.0901. EXEMPTION FROM TUITION AND FEES FOR CERTAIN |
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ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM STUDENTS. (a) The governing board of a |
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junior college district may exempt from the payment of all or a part |
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of the tuition and fees charged by the junior college district a |
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student who: |
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(1) is enrolled in a training program offered by the |
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junior college district leading to a degree or industry |
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certification in a high-skill and high-growth occupation as |
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identified by the applicable local workforce development board; |
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(2) at the time the student enters the training |
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program, has not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent; |
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(3) is enrolled in a contextualized adult education |
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course under Subchapter H, Chapter 29, that provides training |
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related to the training program and is simultaneously operated by |
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or affiliated by agreement with the junior college district; |
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(4) remains continuously enrolled in and regularly |
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meets the established proficiency criteria for the training program |
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and the adult education course described by Subdivision (3); |
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(5) maintains acceptable overall performance and |
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attendance as determined by the governing board for purposes of |
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this section; and |
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(6) is eligible for legal employment in the United |
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States. |
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(b) The governing board of a junior college district may not |
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exempt a student from the payment of tuition and fees under this |
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section: |
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(1) for more than 18 semester credit hours or the |
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equivalent; |
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(2) after the first anniversary of the date of the |
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student's entry into the training program; or |
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(3) after the student's completion of or withdrawal |
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from the training program. |
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(c) The grant of an exemption from tuition and fees under |
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Subsection (a) does not affect the right of a junior college to a |
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proportionate share of state appropriations under Section 130.003 |
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attributable to the contact hours of the junior college with the |
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student receiving the exemption. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year. |
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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, 2013. |