Texas 2019 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB739 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 05/08/2019

                    86R2123 JRJ-D
 By: Harless, Guillen, Raymond, Canales, H.B. No. 739
 Lozano


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to tuition and fees for certain military spouses and
 dependents.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 54.241(g), Education Code, is amended to
 read as follows:
 (g)  If a member of the Armed Forces of the United States is
 stationed outside Texas, an [and the member's spouse or child
 establishes residence in Texas by residing in Texas and by filing
 with the Texas institution of higher education at which the spouse
 or child plans to register a letter of intent to establish residence
 in Texas, the] institution of higher education shall:
 (1)  permit the member's spouse or child to pay the
 tuition, fees, and other charges provided for Texas residents
 without regard to the length of time that the spouse or child has
 resided in Texas if the spouse or child establishes residence in
 Texas by residing in Texas and by filing with the Texas institution
 of higher education at which the spouse or child plans to register a
 letter of intent to establish residence in Texas; and
 (2)  permit the member's spouse to pay the tuition,
 fees, and other charges provided for Texas residents if the spouse:
 (A)  graduated from a public or private high
 school in this state or received the equivalent of a high school
 diploma in this state; and
 (B)  maintained a domicile in this state
 continuously for at least one year before the member was assigned to
 duty outside Texas.
 SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies
 beginning with tuition and fees charged for the 2019 fall semester.
 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, 2019.