Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1724 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1724
2	2	(In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2011; March 23, 2011, read
3	3	first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
4	4	May 6, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
5	5	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 6, 2011,
6	6	sent to printer.)
7	7	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1724 By: Watson
8	8
9	9
10	10	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11	AN ACT
12	12	relating to conditions on the receipt of tuition and fee exemptions
13	13	at public institutions of higher education.
14	14	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	15	SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
16	16	amended by adding Section 54.2001 to read as follows:
17	17	Sec. 54.2001. CONTINUED RECEIPT OF EXEMPTIONS CONDITIONAL.
18	18	(a) Notwithstanding any other law but subject to Subsection (f),
19	19	after initially qualifying under this subchapter for a mandatory or
20	20	discretionary exemption from the payment of tuition or other fees
21	21	for enrollment during a semester or term at an institution of higher
22	22	education, a person may continue to receive the exemption for a
23	23	subsequent semester or term only if the person:
24	24	(1) maintains a grade point average that satisfies the
25	25	institution's grade point average requirement for making
26	26	satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or a certificate in
27	27	accordance with the institution's policy regarding eligibility for
28	28	financial aid; and
29	29	(2) as of the beginning of the semester or term, has
30	30	not completed more than 30 semester credit hours, or a greater
31	31	number of hours as permitted by the institution on a showing of good
32	32	cause, in excess of the minimum number of semester credit hours
33	33	required to complete the person's degree or certificate program.
34	34	(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), the computation of a
35	35	person's total number of completed semester credit hours includes
36	36	transfer credit hours that count toward the person's degree or
37	37	certificate program course requirements, but excludes:
38	38	(1) hours earned exclusively by examination;
39	39	(2) hours earned for a course for which the person
40	40	received credit toward the person's high school academic
41	41	requirements; and
42	42	(3) hours earned for developmental coursework that an
43	43	institution of higher education required the person to take under
44	44	Section 51.3062 or under the former provisions of Section 51.306.
45	45	(c) If on the completion of any semester or term a person
46	46	fails to meet any requirement of Subsection (a), the person may not
47	47	receive an exemption from the payment of tuition or other fees
48	48	described by Subsection (a) for the next semester or term in which
49	49	the person enrolls. A person may become eligible to receive an
50	50	exemption in a subsequent semester or term if the person:
51	51	(1) completes a semester or term during which the
52	52	person is not eligible for an exemption; and
53	53	(2) meets each requirement of Subsection (a).
54	54	(d) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a
55	55	policy to allow a student who fails to maintain a grade point
56	56	average as required by Subsection (a)(1) to receive an exemption in
57	57	any semester or term on a showing of hardship or other good cause,
58	58	including:
59	59	(1) a showing of a severe illness or other
60	60	debilitating condition that could affect the student's academic
61	61	performance;
62	62	(2) an indication that the student is responsible for
63	63	the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and that the student's
64	64	provision of care could affect the student's academic performance;
65	65	(3) the student's active duty or other service in the
66	66	United States armed forces; or
67	67	(4) any other cause considered acceptable by the
68	68	institution.
69	69	(e) An institution of higher education shall maintain
70	70	documentation of each exception granted to a student under
71	71	Subsection (d).
72	72	(f) If a requirement imposed by this section for the
73	73	continued receipt of a specific exemption conflicts with another
74	74	requirement imposed by statute for that exemption, the stricter
75	75	requirement prevails.
76	76	(g) This section does not apply to:
77	77	(1) the exemption provided by Section 54.216 or to any
78	78	other exemption provided to a high school student for enrollment in
79	79	a dual credit course or other course for which the student may earn
80	80	joint high school and college credit; or
81	81	(2) any provision of this code that authorizes or
82	82	requires the payment of tuition or fees at the rates provided for
83	83	residents of this state by a person who is not a resident of this
84	84	state for purposes of Subchapter B.
85	85	SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to
86	86	eligibility for an exemption from the payment of tuition or other
87	87	fees beginning with tuition and fees charged for the 2012 fall
88	88	semester.
89	89	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
90	90	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
91	91	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
92	92	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
93	93	Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
94	94	* * * * *