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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to collection and reporting of certain information |
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regarding tuition and fee exemptions granted by institutions of |
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higher education to veterans and their family members. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 54.341(h) and (o), Education Code, are |
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amended to 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 Veterans |
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Commission the information required by Section 434.00791, |
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Government Code, and to the Legislative Budget Board the |
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information required by Section 322.025, Government Code, relating |
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to each individual receiving an exemption from fees and charges |
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under Subsection (a), (a-2), (b), or (k). The institution shall |
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report the information not later than January 31 of each year for |
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the fall 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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(o) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the |
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Legislative Budget Board, and the Texas Veterans Commission shall |
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coordinate to provide each respective agency with any information |
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required to ensure the proper administration of this section and |
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the proper execution of each agency's statutory responsibilities |
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concerning this section. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 322, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 322.025 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 322.025. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORT REGARDING TUITION |
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AND FEE EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. (a) In this |
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section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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(b) Using existing resources, the board shall collect from |
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each institution of higher education, for each semester, the |
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following information regarding tuition and fee exemptions granted |
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by the institution under Section 54.341, Education Code: |
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(1) the age of each individual attending the |
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institution and receiving benefits for the semester; |
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(2) 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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(3) 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; |
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(4) for each individual receiving benefits, whether |
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the person is a veteran or the family member of a veteran; |
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(5) in a manner that does not identify the person |
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receiving benefits and as indicated by official documentation from |
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the United States Department of Defense, for a veteran who is |
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eligible for benefits or whose service allows another person to be |
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eligible for benefits: |
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(A) whether the veteran served as an active duty |
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member or a member of a reserve component of the armed forces; and |
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(B) the veteran's length of service; and |
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(6) any other information required by the board. |
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(c) Not later than November 1 of each year, the board shall |
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submit to the legislature a report regarding the data collected by |
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the board under Subsection (b) for the most recent academic year. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with tuition and fee exemptions granted under Section |
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54.341, Education Code, for the 2019 fall semester. |
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SECTION 4. Not later than November 1, 2020, the Legislative |
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Budget Board shall submit its initial report required under Section |
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322.025, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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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, 2019. |