83R2232 JRJ-D
By: Alvarado H.B. No. 1033
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions at public
institutions of higher education for certain military personnel,
veterans, and dependents residing in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 54.341(a), (a-1), and (a-3), Education
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The governing board of each institution of higher
education shall exempt the following persons from the payment of
tuition, dues, fees, and other required charges, including fees for
correspondence courses but excluding general deposit fees, student
services fees, and any fees or charges for lodging, board, or
clothing, provided the person seeking the exemption currently
resides in this state and entered the service at a location in this
state, declared this state as the person's home of record in the
manner provided by the applicable military or other service, [or]
would have been determined to be a resident of this state for
purposes of Subchapter B at the time the person entered the service,
or has been a resident of this state for at least 20 years:
(1) all nurses and honorably discharged members of the
armed forces of the United States who served during the
Spanish-American War or during World War I;
(2) all nurses, members of the Women's Army Auxiliary
Corps, members of the Women's Auxiliary Volunteer Emergency
Service, and all honorably discharged members of the armed forces
of the United States who served during World War II except those who
were discharged from service because they were over the age of 38 or
because of a personal request on the part of the person that the
person be discharged from service;
(3) all honorably discharged men and women of the
armed forces of the United States who served during the national
emergency which began on June 27, 1950, and which is referred to as
the Korean War; and
(4) all persons who were honorably discharged from the
armed forces of the United States after serving on active military
duty, excluding training, for more than 180 days and who served a
portion of their active duty during:
(A) the Cold War which began on the date of the
termination of the national emergency cited in Subdivision (3);
(B) the Vietnam era which began on December 21,
1961, and ended on May 7, 1975;
(C) the Grenada and Lebanon era which began on
August 24, 1982, and ended on July 31, 1984;
(D) the Panama era which began on December 20,
1989, and ended on January 21, 1990;
(E) the Persian Gulf War which began on August 2,
1990, and ends on the date thereafter prescribed by Presidential
proclamation or September 1, 1997, whichever occurs first;
(F) the national emergency by reason of certain
terrorist attacks that began on September 11, 2001; or
(G) any future national emergency declared in
accordance with federal law.
(a-1) A person who before the 2009-2010 academic year
received an exemption provided by Subsection (a) continues to be
eligible for the exemption provided by that subsection as that
subsection existed on January 1, 2009, subject to the other
provisions of this section other than the requirement of Subsection
(a) that the person must have entered the service at a location in
this state, declared this state as the person's home of record, [or]
would have been determined to be a resident of this state for
purposes of Subchapter B at the time the person entered the service,
or has been a resident of this state for at least 20 years.
(a-3) A person who before the 2011-2012 academic year
received an exemption provided by Subsection (a) continues to be
eligible for the exemption provided by that subsection as that
subsection existed on January 1, 2011, subject to the other
provisions of this section other than the requirement of Subsection
(a) that the person must currently reside in this state or has been
a resident of this state for at least 20 years.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with tuition and fees for the 2013 fall semester. Tuition
and fees for a term or semester before the 2013 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, 2013.