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AN ACT
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relating to resident tuition rates and fees at public institutions |
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of higher education for certain veterans and servicemembers and |
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their spouses and children. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 54.058, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (k) and (l) to read as follows: |
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(k) A person is entitled to pay tuition and fees at an |
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institution of higher education at the rates provided for Texas |
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residents without regard to the length of time the person has |
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resided in this state if the person files with the institution at |
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which the person intends to register a letter of intent to establish |
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residence in this state and resides in this state while enrolled in |
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the institution and the person: |
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(1) is eligible for benefits under the federal |
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Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (38 U.S.C. |
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Section 3301 et seq.) or any other federal law authorizing |
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educational benefits for veterans; |
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(2) is the spouse of a person described by Subdivision |
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(1); or |
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(3) is a child of a person described by Subdivision (1) |
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who is 25 years of age or younger on the first day of the semester or |
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other academic term for which the person is registering, except |
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that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by rule shall |
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prescribe procedures by which a person who suffered from a severe |
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illness or other debilitating condition that affected the person's |
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ability to use the benefit provided by this subsection before |
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reaching that age may be granted additional time to use the benefit |
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corresponding to the time the person was unable to use the benefit |
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because of the illness or condition. |
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(l) In this section, "child" includes a stepchild. |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.203, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-2) to read as follows: |
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(b-2) The governing board of an institution of higher |
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education shall exempt from the payment of resident tuition at the |
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institution a dependent child, including a stepchild, of a member |
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of the Armed Forces of the United States who is a resident of this |
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state or is entitled to pay resident tuition under this subchapter, |
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for any semester or other academic term during which the member of |
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the armed forces is deployed on active duty for the purpose of |
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engaging in a combative military operation outside the United |
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States. In its appropriations to institutions of higher education, |
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the legislature shall provide sufficient funds to cover the full |
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costs of the exemptions provided by this subsection. |
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SECTION 3. Subsection (k), Section 54.058, Education Code, |
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as added by this Act, applies beginning with tuition and other fees |
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charged for the 2009 fall semester. Tuition and other fees charged |
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for an academic period before that semester are covered by the law |
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in 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 4. Subsection (b-2), Section 54.203, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with tuition charged |
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for the 2009 fall semester. Tuition charged for an academic period |
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before that semester is covered by the law in effect immediately |
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before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt the rules required by Subdivision (3), Subsection (k), |
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Section 54.058, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as |
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practicable after this Act takes effect. For that purpose, the |
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coordinating board may adopt the initial rules in the manner |
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provided by law for emergency rules. |
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SECTION 6. 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, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 297 passed the Senate on |
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March 24, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that |
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the Senate concurred in House amendments on June 1, 2009, by the |
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following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 297 passed the House, with |
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amendments, on April 8, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 148, |
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Nays 0, one present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |