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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the exemption of tuition and fees at public |
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institutions of higher education for certain certified or licensed |
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paramedics. |
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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 54.3532 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.3532. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDER ENROLLED |
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IN MEDICAL COURSES. (a) The governing board of an institution of |
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higher education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and |
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laboratory fees any student enrolled in one or more courses offered |
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as part of a medical curriculum who: |
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(1) is employed by a political subdivision of this |
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state as an emergency medical technician certified by the |
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Department of State Health Services as provided by Chapter 773, |
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Health and Safety Code; or |
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(2) is currently, and has been for at least one year, |
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an active member of a municipal emergency medical services provider |
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and who holds an associate's degree as a licensed paramedic. |
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(b) An exemption provided under this section does not apply |
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to deposits that may be required in the nature of security for the |
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return or proper care of property loaned for the use of students. |
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(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student who for a |
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semester or term at an institution of higher education receives an |
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exemption under this section may continue to receive the exemption |
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for a subsequent semester or term at any institution only if the |
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student makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or |
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certificate at that institution as determined by the institution |
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for purposes of financial aid. |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided |
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under this section does not apply to any amount of additional |
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tuition the institution elects to charge a resident undergraduate |
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student under Section 54.014(a) or (f). |
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(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided |
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under this section does not apply to any amount of tuition the |
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institution charges a graduate student in excess of the amount of |
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tuition charged to similarly situated graduate students because the |
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student has a number of semester credit hours of doctoral work in |
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excess of the applicable number provided by Section 61.059(l)(1) or |
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(2). |
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(f) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt: |
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(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an |
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exemption under this section, including rules relating to the |
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determination of a student's eligibility for an exemption; and |
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(2) a uniform listing of degree programs covered by |
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the exemption under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.3532, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with tuition and laboratory fees |
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charged for the 2017 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, 2017. |