By: Van de Putte, Hinojosa S.B. No. 1734
(Zedler, Flynn, Smith of Harris, Farias)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of
higher education for certain Texas military veterans.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 54.203, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-3) to read as follows:
(a-3) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(4), a person who meets
the requirements of Subsection (a)(4), other than the requirement
that the person must have served on active military duty for more
than the stated number of days, is entitled to the exemption
provided by Subsection (a)(4) regardless of the length of the
member's active military duty if the person was a member of the
Texas National Guard or the Texas Air National Guard who was
assigned to a theater of combat operation with the armed forces of
the United States.
SECTION 2. Subsection (a-3), Section 54.203, Education
Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with tuition and fees
at a public institution of higher education for the 2011 fall
semester. Tuition and fees for a term or semester before the 2011
fall semester are covered by the law in effect immediately before
the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
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.