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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. Section 54.341(h), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(h) The governing board of each institution of higher |
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education shall electronically report to the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board [Veterans Commission] the information required |
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by Section 61.0516 [434.00791, Government Code,] relating to each |
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individual receiving an exemption from fees and charges under |
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Subsection (a), (a-2), (b), or (k). The institution shall report |
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the information not later than January 31 of each year for the fall |
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semester, June 30 of each year for the spring semester, and |
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September 30 of each year for the summer session. |
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SECTION 3. Section 434.00791, Government Code, is |
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transferred to Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, |
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redesignated as Section 61.0516, Education Code, and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0516 [434.00791]. ELECTRONIC SYSTEM TO MONITOR |
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TUITION EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND DEPENDENTS [FAMILY MEMBERS]. |
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(a) [In this section, "institution of higher education" has the
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meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
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[(b)] The board [commission] shall administer [ensure] a |
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system to electronically monitor the use of tuition and fee |
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exemptions at institutions of higher education under Section |
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54.341[, Education Code, is developed]. The system must allow the |
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board [commission] to electronically receive, for each semester, |
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the following information from 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) any other information required by the board |
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[commission]. |
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(b) Not later than January 1, 2018, the Texas Veterans |
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Commission, under an agreement with the board, shall provide access |
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to the system developed by the commission that meets the |
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requirements of this section. This subsection expires September 1, |
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2019. |
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SECTION 4. Section 54.201, Education Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies to a person's eligibility for an exemption or waiver |
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from the payment of all or part of tuition or other fees beginning |
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with tuition and fees charged for the 2018 fall semester. |
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SECTION 5. Section 54.341(h), Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the report for the 2018 spring |
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semester. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |