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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 at public institutions of |
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higher education for certain military personnel dependents. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 54.341(a-2) and (b), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a-2) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) also |
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apply to the spouse of: |
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(1) a member of the armed forces of the United States: |
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(A) who was killed in action; |
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(B) who died while in service; |
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(C) who is missing in action; |
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(D) whose death is documented to be directly |
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caused by illness or injury connected with service in the armed |
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forces of the United States; or |
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(E) who, as a result of a service-related injury: |
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(i) became at least 80 percent disabled |
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according to the disability ratings of the United States Department |
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of Defense; or |
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(ii) became totally and permanently disabled |
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or meets the eligibility requirements for individual |
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unemployability according to the disability ratings of the |
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Department of Veterans Affairs [as a result of a service-related
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injury]; or |
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(2) a member of the Texas National Guard or the Texas |
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Air National Guard who: |
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(A) was killed since January 1, 1946, while on |
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active duty either in the service of this state or the United |
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States; or |
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(B) as a result of a service-related injury |
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suffered since January 1, 1946, while on active duty either in the |
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service of this state or the United States: |
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(i) is at least 80 percent disabled |
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according to the disability ratings of the United States Department |
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of Defense, regardless of whether the member is eligible to receive |
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disability benefits from the department; or |
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(ii) is totally and permanently disabled or |
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meets the eligibility requirements for individual unemployability |
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according to the disability ratings of the Department of Veterans |
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Affairs, regardless of whether the member is eligible to receive |
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disability benefits from the department[, as a result of a
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service-related injury suffered since January 1, 1946, while on
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active duty either in the service of this state or the United
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States]. |
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(b) The exemptions provided for in Subsection (a) also apply |
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to: |
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(1) the children of members of the armed forces of the |
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United States: |
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(A) who are or were killed in action; |
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(B) who die or died while in service; |
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(C) who are missing in action; |
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(D) whose death is documented to be directly |
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caused by illness or injury connected with service in the armed |
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forces of the United States; or |
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(E) who, as a result of a service-related injury: |
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(i) became at least 80 percent disabled |
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according to the disability ratings of the United States Department |
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of Defense; or |
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(ii) became totally and permanently disabled |
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or meet the eligibility requirements for individual |
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unemployability according to the disability ratings of the |
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Department of Veterans Affairs [as a result of a service-related
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injury]; and |
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(2) the children of members of the Texas National |
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Guard and the Texas Air National Guard who: |
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(A) were killed since January 1, 1946, while on |
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active duty either in the service of their state or the United |
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States; or |
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(B) as a result of a service-related injury |
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suffered since January 1, 1946, while on active duty either in the |
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service of this state or the United States: |
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(i) are at least 80 percent disabled |
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according to the disability ratings of the United States Department |
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of Defense, regardless of whether the members are eligible to |
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receive disability benefits from the department; or |
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(ii) are totally and permanently disabled or |
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meet the eligibility requirements for individual unemployability |
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according to the disability ratings of the Department of Veterans |
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Affairs, regardless of whether the members are eligible to receive |
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disability benefits from the department[, as a result of a
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service-related injury suffered since January 1, 1946, while on
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active duty either in the service of this state or the United
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States]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.341, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies to an exemption from the payment of all or part of |
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tuition or other fees beginning with tuition and fees charged for |
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the 2018 fall semester. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |