| 1 | 1 | | By: Tepper H.B. No. 1454 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to waivers and reductions of tuition and fees by |
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| 9 | 9 | | institutions of higher education. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 54.018 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 54.018. PROHIBITION ON WAIVER OR REDUCTION OF TUITION |
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| 14 | 14 | | OR FEE BASED ON INCOME. (a) This section does not apply to a |
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| 15 | 15 | | scholarship or grant awarded under Chapter 56, Education Code. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) Notwithstanding Section 54.010, the governing board of |
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| 17 | 17 | | an institution of higher education may not offer a student a waiver |
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| 18 | 18 | | or reduction of tuition or fee based on financial hardship, |
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| 19 | 19 | | including based on the income of the: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) student; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) student's household; or |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) student's legal guardian. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. Section 54.217, Education Code, is amended to |
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| 24 | 24 | | read as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 54.217. STUDENTS ENROLLED IN FULLY FUNDED COURSES; |
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| 26 | 26 | | OPTIONAL WAIVER. (a) The governing board of an institution of |
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| 27 | 27 | | higher education may waive tuition and fees for students attending |
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| 28 | 28 | | courses that are fully funded by federal or other sources. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) If the governing board of an institution waives tuition |
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| 30 | 30 | | and fees for a student enrolled in a course under this section, the |
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| 31 | 31 | | governing board must waive tuition and fees for all students |
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| 32 | 32 | | enrolled in that course or subject to that fee who are in good |
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| 33 | 33 | | academic standing and may not waive tuition and fees based on |
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| 34 | 34 | | financial hardship, including based on the income of the: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (1) student; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) student's household; or |
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| 37 | 37 | | (3) student's legal guardian. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 3. The following provisions of the Education Code |
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| 39 | 39 | | are repealed: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (a) Section 54.261; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (b) Section 54.262; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (c) Section 54.5061(g); and |
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| 43 | 43 | | (d) Section 54.513(h). |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 4. Section 54.018, as added by this Act, and Section |
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| 45 | 45 | | 54.217, as amended by this Act, apply beginning with the 2026 fall |
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| 46 | 46 | | semester. |
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| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026. |
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