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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 students |
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enrolled in fire science courses at public institutions of higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.353(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory |
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fees any student enrolled in one or more courses offered as part of |
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a fire science curriculum who: |
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(1) is employed as a firefighter by a political |
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subdivision of this state; or |
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(2) is currently, and has been for at least one year, |
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an active member of an organized volunteer fire department |
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[participating in the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System or
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a retirement system established under the Texas Local Fire Fighters
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Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) and] |
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who [holds]: |
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(A) holds an Accredited Advanced level of |
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certification, or an equivalent successor certification, under the |
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State Firefighters' [Firemen's] and Fire Marshals' Association of |
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Texas volunteer certification program; [or] |
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(B) holds a Phase V (Firefighter II) |
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certification, or an equivalent successor certification, under the |
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Texas Commission on Fire Protection's voluntary certification |
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program under Section 419.071, Government Code; or |
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(C) participates in the Texas Emergency Services |
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Retirement System or a retirement system established under the |
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Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's |
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Texas Civil Statutes). |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.353(a), Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with tuition and laboratory fees |
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charged for the 2015 fall semester. Tuition and laboratory fees |
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charged for an academic period before that semester are covered by |
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the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, |
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and the 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, 2015. |