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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 or waivers at public |
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institutions of higher education. |
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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 54.201 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 54.201. CERTAIN FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION |
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REQUIRED. (a) Notwithstanding any other law and subject to |
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Subsection (b), to qualify for an exemption, waiver, or other |
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benefit authorized under this subchapter for enrollment at an |
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institution of higher education during an academic year, a person |
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must: |
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(1) complete a free application for federal student |
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aid (FAFSA) for that academic year and: |
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(A) submit the person's FAFSA student aid report |
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to the institution; or |
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(B) designate the institution as a preferred |
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institution to receive the report from the United States Department |
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of Education; or |
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(2) if the person is not eligible to receive federal |
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student aid, complete and submit to the institution the Texas |
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Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) or a similar |
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application for state student financial assistance. |
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(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a person who receives a |
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waiver under Section 54.216. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 54.341(l) and (n), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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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; |
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(2) be [as] a graduate or undergraduate student[,
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maintain a grade point average that satisfies the grade point
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average requirement for making satisfactory academic progress in a
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degree, certificate, or continuing education program as determined
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by the institution at which the child is enrolled in accordance with
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the institution's policy regarding eligibility for financial aid]; |
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[and] |
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(3) maintain: |
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(A) a course load of at least 24 semester credit |
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hours per academic year; and |
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(B) a cumulative grade point average of at least |
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2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent; |
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(4) be 25 years of age or younger on the first class |
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date [day] of the semester or other academic term for which the |
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exemption is claimed; and |
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(5) if eligible, have exhausted all benefits available |
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to the child under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational |
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Assistance Act of 2008 (38 U.S.C. Section 3301 et seq.) or any other |
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federal law authorizing educational benefits for veterans. |
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(n) The Texas Veterans Commission by rule shall prescribe |
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procedures by which a child assigned an exemption under Subsection |
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(k) who suffered from a severe illness or other debilitating |
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condition that affected the child's ability to use the exemption |
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before reaching the age described by Subsection (l)(4) [(l)(3)] may |
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be granted additional time to use the exemption corresponding to |
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the time the child was unable to use the exemption because of the |
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illness or condition. |
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SECTION 3. Section 434.00791(b), Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The commission shall ensure a system to electronically |
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monitor the use of tuition and fee exemptions at institutions of |
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higher education under Section 54.341, Education Code, is |
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developed. The system must allow the commission to electronically |
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receive, for each semester, the following information from |
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institutions of higher education: |
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(1) the name of the institution; |
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(2) the name, identification number, and date of birth |
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of each individual attending the institution and receiving benefits |
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for the semester under Section 54.341, Education Code; |
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(3) for each individual receiving benefits, the number |
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of credit hours for which the individual received an exemption for |
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the semester; |
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(4) for each individual receiving benefits at the |
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institution during the semester, the total cumulative number of |
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credit hours for which the individual has received an exemption at |
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the institution; [and] |
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(5) for each individual receiving benefits, the length |
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of service of the person eligible for an exemption under Section |
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54.341(a), Education Code, as indicated by official documentation |
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from the United States Department of Defense; and |
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(6) any other information required by the commission. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this |
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section, the changes in law made by this Act apply beginning with |
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tuition and fees charged for the 2017 fall semester. Tuition and |
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fees charged for a term or semester before the 2017 fall semester |
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are governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective |
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date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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(b) Section 54.201, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
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applies to a person's eligibility for an exemption or waiver from |
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the payment of all or part of tuition or other fees beginning with |
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tuition and fees charged for the 2018 fall semester. |
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SECTION 5. 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. |