| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a tuition exemption for the children of certain law |
|
|
enforcement officers. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 54.3511 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 54.3511. CHILDREN OF CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. |
|
|
(a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Eligible law enforcement officer" means a peace |
|
|
officer defined by Article Art. 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, |
|
|
who has at least 15 years of continuous service as a peace officer |
|
|
in a public retirement system. |
|
|
(2) "Public retirement system" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 801.001, Government Code. |
|
|
(3) "Child" is a person whose parent is an eligible law |
|
|
enforcement officer, including a stepchild or adopted child. |
|
|
(b) The governing board of each institution of higher |
|
|
education shall exempt from the payment of all tuition, fees, and |
|
|
charges any child whose parent is an eligible law enforcement |
|
|
officer. The exemption does not apply to general deposits or to |
|
|
fees or charges for lodging, board, or clothing. |
|
|
(c) A child is not entitled to the exemption if the child: |
|
|
(1) does not apply initially for the exemption before |
|
|
the date the child: |
|
|
(A) becomes 21 years of age, if the person is not |
|
|
covered by Paragraph (B); or |
|
|
(B) becomes 22 years of age, if the person is |
|
|
eligible to participate in a school district's special education |
|
|
program under Section 29.003; |
|
|
(2) does not meet all entrance requirements of the |
|
|
institution; or |
|
|
(3) does not maintain a scholastic average sufficient |
|
|
to remain in good standing. |
|
|
(d) Subject to Subsection (e), a child may receive an |
|
|
exemption only for the first 120 undergraduate semester credit |
|
|
hours for which the person registers. |
|
|
(e) A child is not entitled to an exemption for any term or |
|
|
semester the child begins after the date the child becomes 26 years |
|
|
of age. |
|
|
(f) A child entitled to an exemption under the provisions of |
|
|
this section shall, when transferring from a public junior college |
|
|
to a public senior college or university, meet the standard |
|
|
entrance requirements required by the senior college or university |
|
|
of an applicant for admission not covered by the provisions of this |
|
|
section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |