Bill Text: TX HB3273 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the exemption of tuition and fees at public institutions of higher education for certain certified or licensed paramedics.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-06 - Left pending in committee [HB3273 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB3273-Introduced.html
| 84R10534 JRJ-F | ||
| By: Rodriguez of Travis | H.B. No. 3273 | |
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| relating to the exemption of tuition and fees at public | ||
| institutions of higher education for certain certified or licensed | ||
| paramedics. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 54.3532 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 54.3532. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDER ENROLLED | ||
| IN MEDICAL COURSES. (a) The governing board of an institution of | ||
| higher education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and | ||
| laboratory fees any student enrolled in one or more courses offered | ||
| as part of a medical curriculum who: | ||
| (1) is employed by a political subdivision of this | ||
| state as an emergency medical technician certified by the | ||
| Department of State Health Services as provided by Chapter 773, | ||
| Health and Safety Code; or | ||
| (2) is currently, and has been for at least one year, | ||
| an active member of a municipal emergency medical services provider | ||
| and who holds an associate's degree as a licensed paramedic. | ||
| (b) An exemption provided under this section does not apply | ||
| to deposits that may be required in the nature of security for the | ||
| return or proper care of property loaned for the use of students. | ||
| (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student who for a | ||
| semester or term at an institution of higher education receives an | ||
| exemption under this section may continue to receive the exemption | ||
| for a subsequent semester or term at any institution only if the | ||
| student makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or | ||
| certificate at that institution as determined by the institution | ||
| for purposes of financial aid. | ||
| (d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided | ||
| under this section does not apply to any amount of additional | ||
| tuition the institution elects to charge a resident undergraduate | ||
| student under Section 54.014(a) or (f). | ||
| (e) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the exemption provided | ||
| under this section does not apply to any amount of tuition the | ||
| institution charges a graduate student in excess of the amount of | ||
| tuition charged to similarly situated graduate students because the | ||
| student has a number of semester credit hours of doctoral work in | ||
| excess of the applicable number provided by Section 61.059(l)(1) or | ||
| (2). | ||
| (f) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall | ||
| adopt: | ||
| (1) rules governing the granting or denial of an | ||
| exemption under this section, including rules relating to the | ||
| determination of a student's eligibility for an exemption; and | ||
| (2) a uniform listing of degree programs covered by | ||
| the exemption under this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 54.3532, Education Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, applies beginning with tuition and laboratory fees | ||
| charged for the 2015 fall semester. Tuition and laboratory fees | ||
| charged for an academic period before that semester are covered by | ||
| the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, | ||
| and the former 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, 2015. | ||
