Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4251 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R6761 KEL-D
2	2	By: Walle H.B. No. 4251
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to an exemption from tuition and required fees at public
8	8	institutions of higher education for undergraduate students from
9	9	low-income families.
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 54.2003 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 54.2003. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME
14	14	FAMILIES. (a) In this section:
15	15	(1) "Family income" means the combined gross income
16	16	for purposes of federal income tax of:
17	17	(A) the student and the student's parents, if the
18	18	student is not married; or
19	19	(B) the student, the student's parents, and the
20	20	student's spouse, if the student is married.
21	21	(2) "Federal poverty level" is determined according to
22	22	the federal poverty guidelines established by the United States
23	23	Department of Health and Human Services.
24	24	(3) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
25	25	assigned by Section 61.003.
26	26	(b) For the 2021-2022 academic year and for each subsequent
27	27	academic year, an undergraduate student enrolled at an institution
28	28	of higher education is exempt from the payment of tuition and
29	29	required fees authorized by this chapter for a term or semester if
30	30	the student:
31	31	(1) on the day the semester or term begins:
32	32	(A) is less than 25 years of age; and
33	33	(B) is a resident of this state who has resided in
34	34	this state continuously for the preceding 12 months; and
35	35	(2) for the preceding calendar year, had a family
36	36	income of less than 400 percent of the applicable federal poverty
37	37	level.
38	38	(b-1) For the 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021 academic
39	39	years, an undergraduate student enrolled at an institution of
40	40	higher education is exempt from the payment of tuition and required
41	41	fees authorized by this chapter for a term or semester if the
42	42	student:
43	43	(1) on the day the semester or term begins:
44	44	(A) is less than 25 years of age; and
45	45	(B) is a resident of this state who has resided in
46	46	this state continuously for the preceding 12 months; and
47	47	(2) for the preceding calendar year, had a family
48	48	income of less than 300 percent of the applicable federal poverty
49	49	level.
50	50	(b-2) Subsection (b-1) and this subsection expire September
51	51	1, 2021.
52	52	(c) A student may not receive an exemption under this
53	53	section for more than 12 semesters or summer terms.
54	54	(d) A student is not eligible for an exemption under this
55	55	section if the student's tuition and required fees for the semester
56	56	or term are or will be paid directly to the institution of higher
57	57	education by the United States or by a person other than the student
58	58	or the student's family or guardian from funds other than funds of
59	59	the student or the student's family or guardian.
60	60	(e) To receive an exemption under this section, a student
61	61	must apply for the exemption in the manner provided by the
62	62	institution in which the student registers. The governing board of
63	63	the institution shall require an applicant to submit satisfactory
64	64	evidence that the applicant is eligible for the exemption.
65	65	SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with tuition and
66	66	required fees imposed for the 2018 fall semester.
67	67	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
68	68	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
69	69	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
70	70	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
71	71	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.