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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 at public institutions of |
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higher education for certain peace officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.3531, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory |
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fees a student enrolled in one or more courses offered as part of a |
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law enforcement-related degree program [charged by the institution |
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for a criminal justice or law enforcement course or courses an |
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undergraduate student] who: |
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(1) is employed as a peace officer by this state or by |
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a political subdivision of this state; |
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(2) is enrolled in a [criminal justice or] law |
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enforcement-related degree program at the institution; |
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(3) is making satisfactory academic progress toward |
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the student's degree as determined by the institution; [and] |
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(4) holds a basic peace officer proficiency |
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certificate issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement under |
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Section 1701.402, Occupations Code; and |
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(5) applies for the exemption at least one week before |
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the last date of the institution's regular registration period for |
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the applicable semester or other term. |
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(a-1) For purposes of Subsection (a), a law |
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enforcement-related degree program includes a program in: |
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(1) criminal justice; |
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(2) public administration and public affairs; |
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(3) emergency management; |
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(4) youth and community studies; |
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(5) law; |
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(6) Spanish or any other foreign language commonly |
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spoken in this state; |
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(7) accounting, including forensic accounting; |
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(8) psychology; |
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(9) social work, including clinical social work; |
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(10) nursing; |
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(11) chemistry; |
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(12) biology; |
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(13) forensic science; or |
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(14) computer science, data science, and |
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cybersecurity. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.3531, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with tuition and other fees charged for |
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the 2025 fall semester. Tuition and other fees charged for an |
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academic period before that semester are governed by the law in |
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effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the |
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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, 2025. |