Bill Text: TX HB2445 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to an exemption from or refund of tuition and fees for certain lower-division students enrolled at Texas Southern University or Prairie View A&M University.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-13 - Referred to Higher Education [HB2445 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2445-Introduced.html
| 88R8795 JTZ-D | ||
| By: Dutton | H.B. No. 2445 | |
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| relating to an exemption from or refund of tuition and fees for | ||
| certain lower-division students enrolled at Texas Southern | ||
| University or Prairie View A&M University. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 54.220 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 54.220. EXEMPTION FOR LOWER-DIVISION STUDENTS AT | ||
| CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) An entering freshman | ||
| student enrolled at Texas Southern University or Prairie View A&M | ||
| University is entitled to a refund of tuition and required fees paid | ||
| by the student under this chapter for the first semester or term for | ||
| which the student enrolls at that university if the student: | ||
| (1) graduated from a private high school, including a | ||
| home school, or public high school in this state; | ||
| (2) is classified as a Texas resident under Subchapter | ||
| B; and | ||
| (3) for all courses attempted that initial semester or | ||
| term earns a grade point average of at least 2.0 on a four-point | ||
| scale or the equivalent. | ||
| (b) To receive a refund under Subsection (a), the student | ||
| must apply to the university in the manner required by the | ||
| university not later than the first anniversary of the last class | ||
| day of the semester or term. | ||
| (c) A student enrolled at Texas Southern University or | ||
| Prairie View A&M University is exempt from the payment of tuition | ||
| and required fees authorized by this chapter for a semester or term | ||
| of the student's first two academic years, other than a semester or | ||
| term described by Subsection (a), at that university if the | ||
| student: | ||
| (1) graduated from a private high school, including a | ||
| home school, or public high school in this state; | ||
| (2) is classified as a Texas resident under Subchapter | ||
| B; and | ||
| (3) maintains an overall grade-point average of at | ||
| least 2.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent for all prior | ||
| coursework attempted at the university. | ||
| (d) A student receiving an exemption under this section for | ||
| one or more semesters or terms may not enroll for the student's | ||
| third academic year at the university until the student passes an | ||
| examination to be selected and administered by the university for | ||
| that purpose. | ||
| (e) A university to which this section applies may fund | ||
| tuition and fee refunds and exemptions under this section from | ||
| local funds or from funds appropriated to the university. The | ||
| university may but is not required to provide tuition and fee | ||
| refunds or exemptions beyond those funded through state | ||
| appropriations specifically designated for this purpose. | ||
| (f) A person may not receive a refund or exemption under | ||
| this section for a semester or term that begins after the 2042-2043 | ||
| academic year. This section expires September 1, 2044. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with tuition and fees | ||
| charged for the 2023 fall semester. | ||
| 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, 2023. | ||
