85R11274 KJE-D
By: Seliger S.B. No. 950
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to tuition and fee exemptions or waivers at public
institutions of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 54.201 to read as follows:
Sec. 54.201. CERTAIN FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
REQUIRED. (a) Notwithstanding any other law and subject to
Subsection (b), to qualify for an exemption, waiver, or other
benefit authorized under this subchapter for enrollment at an
institution of higher education during an academic year, a person
must:
(1) complete a free application for federal student
aid (FAFSA) for that academic year and:
(A) submit the person's FAFSA student aid report
to the institution; or
(B) designate the institution as a preferred
institution to receive the report from the United States Department
of Education; or
(2) if the person is not eligible to receive federal
student aid, complete and submit to the institution the Texas
Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) or a similar
application for state student financial assistance.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a person who receives a
waiver under Section 54.216.
SECTION 2. Section 54.341(h), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(h) The governing board of each institution of higher
education shall electronically report to the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board [Veterans Commission] the information required
by Section 61.0516 [434.00791, Government Code,] relating to each
individual receiving an exemption from fees and charges under
Subsection (a), (a-2), (b), or (k). The institution shall report
the information not later than January 31 of each year for the fall
semester, June 30 of each year for the spring semester, and
September 30 of each year for the summer session.
SECTION 3. Section 434.00791, Government Code, is
transferred to Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code,
redesignated as Section 61.0516, Education Code, and amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 61.0516 [434.00791]. ELECTRONIC SYSTEM TO MONITOR
TUITION EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND DEPENDENTS [FAMILY MEMBERS].
(a) [In this section, "institution of higher education" has the
meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
[(b)] The board [commission] shall administer [ensure] a
system to electronically monitor the use of tuition and fee
exemptions at institutions of higher education under Section
54.341[, Education Code, is developed]. The system must allow the
board [commission] to electronically receive, for each semester,
the following information from institutions of higher education:
(1) the name of the institution;
(2) the name, identification number, and date of birth
of each individual attending the institution and receiving benefits
for the semester under Section 54.341[, Education Code];
(3) for each individual receiving benefits, the number
of credit hours for which the individual received an exemption for
the semester;
(4) for each individual receiving benefits at the
institution during the semester, the total cumulative number of
credit hours for which the individual has received an exemption at
the institution; and
(5) any other information required by the board
[commission].
(b) Not later than January 1, 2018, the Texas Veterans
Commission, under an agreement with the board, shall provide access
to the system developed by the commission that meets the
requirements of this section. This subsection expires September 1,
2019.
SECTION 4. Section 54.201, Education Code, as added by this
Act, applies to a person's eligibility for an exemption or waiver
from the payment of all or part of tuition or other fees beginning
with tuition and fees charged for the 2018 fall semester.
SECTION 5. Section 54.341(h), Education Code, as amended by
this Act, applies beginning with the report for the 2018 spring
semester.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.