| 1 | 1 | | 89R12754 JTZ-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Garcia of Bexar H.B. No. 5063 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to tuition and fee exemptions for former foster children |
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| 10 | 10 | | with intellectual disabilities to attend comprehensive transition |
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| 11 | 11 | | and postsecondary programs at a public institution of higher |
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| 12 | 12 | | education. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Section 54.2002, Education Code, is amended to |
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| 15 | 15 | | read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 54.2002. EXEMPTIONS AND WAIVERS FOR STATE-FUNDED |
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| 17 | 17 | | COURSES ONLY. (a) Notwithstanding any other law and subject to |
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| 18 | 18 | | Subsection (b), a mandatory or discretionary exemption or waiver |
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| 19 | 19 | | from the payment of tuition or other fees under this subchapter or |
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| 20 | 20 | | another provision of this code applies only to courses for which an |
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| 21 | 21 | | institution of higher education receives formula funding. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (b) This section does not apply to an exemption for certain |
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| 23 | 23 | | students from the payment of tuition and fees for a comprehensive |
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| 24 | 24 | | transition and postsecondary program under Section 54.366(a-1) or |
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| 25 | 25 | | 54.367(a-1). |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. Section 54.366, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 27 | 27 | | adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (a-1) A student described by Subsection (a) who is a student |
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| 29 | 29 | | with an intellectual disability, as defined by 20 U.S.C. Section |
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| 30 | 30 | | 1140, is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees authorized by |
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| 31 | 31 | | this chapter for a comprehensive transition and postsecondary |
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| 32 | 32 | | program, as defined by that section. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. Section 54.367, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 34 | 34 | | adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (a-1) A student described by Subsection (a) who has an |
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| 36 | 36 | | intellectual disability, as defined by 20 U.S.C. Section 1140, is |
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| 37 | 37 | | exempt from the payment of tuition and fees authorized by this |
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| 38 | 38 | | chapter for a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program, |
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| 39 | 39 | | as defined by that section. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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| 41 | 41 | | beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 43 | 43 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 44 | 44 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 45 | 45 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 46 | 46 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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