By: Creighton, Menéndez S.B. No. 2786 (In the Senate - Filed March 14, 2025; April 3, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Education K-16; April 22, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 22, 2025, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2786 By: West A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the exemption from the assessment requirements of the Texas Success Initiative for certain students who are public officers or employees. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 51.332, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 51.332. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter does not apply to: (1) a student who has graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education; (2) a student who transfers to an institution of higher education from a private or independent institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and who has satisfactorily completed college-level coursework; (3) a student who is enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less at a public junior college, a public technical institute, or a public state college; (4) a student who is serving on active duty as a member of: (A) the armed forces of the United States; or (B) the Texas National Guard; (5) a student who is currently serving as and, for at least the three-year period preceding enrollment, has served as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States; [or] (6) a student who on or after August 1, 1990, was honorably discharged, retired, or released from: (A) active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard; or (B) service as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States; (7) a student who is: (A) certified as an emergency medical technician under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code; and (B) employed by a political subdivision; (8) a student who is included as fire protection personnel by Section 419.021, Government Code; or (9) a student who is elected, appointed, or employed to serve as a peace officer described by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies beginning with the assessment of entering undergraduate students at public institutions of higher education for the 2025 fall semester. The assessment of an entering undergraduate student for an academic term before that semester is covered by the law in effect before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. 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, 2025. * * * * *