By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1723
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to tuition and fee exemptions for certain military
personnel and their spouses and dependent children for
under-enrolled undergraduate classes at public institutions of
higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 54.2032 to read as follows:
Sec. 54.2032. MILITARY, SPOUSES, AND CHILDREN:
UNDER-ENROLLED CLASSES. (a) In this section, "dependent child"
has the meaning assigned by Section 54.209.
(b) The governing board of an institution of higher
education shall permit a person to enroll for course credit without
payment of tuition in an undergraduate class offered by the
institution, for which the maximum enrollment established for the
class has not been met if the person:
(1) is classified as a resident of this state under
Subchapter B;
(2) is a member or veteran of the Texas Military Forces
or is the spouse or dependent child of such a person; and
(3) satisfies other criteria established by this
section.
(c) A person who has not been admitted as a regular student
of the institution must meet the minimum academic criteria for
admission to the institution at which the under-enrolled class is
offered to enroll in the class under this section. A person must
meet the minimum prerequisites and other enrollment criteria for
the class to enroll in the class under this section.
(d) This section does not apply to a person who at the time
of registration is:
(1) eligible for a tuition and fee exemption under
Section 54.203; or
(2) entitled to receive educational benefits for
veterans under federal law that may be used for the payment of
tuition.
(e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
adopt rules to provide for the efficient and uniform application of
this section.
SECTION 2. Section 54.2032, Education Code, as added by
this Act, applies beginning with the 2011 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, 2011.