Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3273 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R10534 JRJ-F
2	2	By: Rodriguez of Travis H.B. No. 3273
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the exemption of tuition and fees at public
8	8	institutions of higher education for certain certified or licensed
9	9	paramedics.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Section 54.3532 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 54.3532. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDER ENROLLED
14	14	IN MEDICAL COURSES. (a) The governing board of an institution of
15	15	higher education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and
16	16	laboratory fees any student enrolled in one or more courses offered
17	17	as part of a medical curriculum who:
18	18	(1) is employed by a political subdivision of this
19	19	state as an emergency medical technician certified by the
20	20	Department of State Health Services as provided by Chapter 773,
21	21	Health and Safety Code; or
22	22	(2) is currently, and has been for at least one year,
23	23	an active member of a municipal emergency medical services provider
24	24	and who holds an associate's degree as a licensed paramedic.
25	25	(b) An exemption provided under this section does not apply
26	26	to deposits that may be required in the nature of security for the
27	27	return or proper care of property loaned for the use of students.
28	28	(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student who for a
29	29	semester or term at an institution of higher education receives an
30	30	exemption under this section may continue to receive the exemption
31	31	for a subsequent semester or term at any institution only if the
32	32	student makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or
33	33	certificate at that institution as determined by the institution
34	34	for purposes of financial aid.
35	35	(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided
36	36	under this section does not apply to any amount of additional
37	37	tuition the institution elects to charge a resident undergraduate
38	38	student under Section 54.014(a) or (f).
39	39	(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided
40	40	under this section does not apply to any amount of tuition the
41	41	institution charges a graduate student in excess of the amount of
42	42	tuition charged to similarly situated graduate students because the
43	43	student has a number of semester credit hours of doctoral work in
44	44	excess of the applicable number provided by Section 61.059(l)(1) or
45	45	(2).
46	46	(f) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
47	47	adopt:
48	48	(1) rules governing the granting or denial of an
49	49	exemption under this section, including rules relating to the
50	50	determination of a student's eligibility for an exemption; and
51	51	(2) a uniform listing of degree programs covered by
52	52	the exemption under this section.
53	53	SECTION 2. Section 54.3532, Education Code, as added by
54	54	this Act, applies beginning with tuition and laboratory fees
55	55	charged for the 2015 fall semester. Tuition and laboratory fees
56	56	charged for an academic period before that semester are covered by
57	57	the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act,
58	58	and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
59	59	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
60	60	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
61	61	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
62	62	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
63	63	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.