86R2123 JRJ-D

By: Harless H.B. No. 739

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to tuition and fees for certain military spouses and dependents.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 54.241(g), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(g) If a member of the Armed Forces of the United States is stationed outside Texas, an [and the member's spouse or child establishes residence in Texas by residing in Texas and by filing with the Texas institution of higher education at which the spouse or child plans to register a letter of intent to establish residence in Texas, the] institution of higher education shall:

(1) permit the member's spouse or child to pay the tuition, fees, and other charges provided for Texas residents without regard to the length of time that the spouse or child has resided in Texas if the spouse or child establishes residence in Texas by residing in Texas and by filing with the Texas institution of higher education at which the spouse or child plans to register a letter of intent to establish residence in Texas; and

(2) permit the member's spouse to pay the tuition, fees, and other charges provided for Texas residents if the spouse:

(A) graduated from a public or private high school in this state or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in this state; and

(B) maintained a domicile in this state continuously for at least one year before the member was assigned to duty outside Texas.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies beginning with tuition and fees charged for the 2019 fall semester.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.