Bill Text: TX HB2557 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to collection and reporting of certain information regarding tuition and fee exemptions granted by institutions of higher education to veterans and their family members.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-29 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB2557 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB2557-Comm_Sub.html
| 86R20058 MM-D | |||
| By: Schaefer | H.B. No. 2557 | ||
| Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2557: | |||
| By: Schaefer | C.S.H.B. No. 2557 | ||
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| relating to collection and reporting of certain information | ||
| regarding tuition and fee exemptions granted by institutions of | ||
| higher education to veterans and their family members. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Sections 54.341(h) and (o), Education Code, are | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (h) The governing board of each institution of higher | ||
| education shall electronically report to the Texas Veterans | ||
| Commission the information required by Section 434.00791, | ||
| Government Code, and to the Legislative Budget Board the | ||
| information required by Section 322.025, Government Code, relating | ||
| to each individual receiving an exemption from fees and charges | ||
| under Subsection (a), (a-2), (b), or (k). The institution shall | ||
| report the information not later than January 31 of each year for | ||
| the fall semester, June 30 of each year for the spring semester, and | ||
| September 30 of each year for the summer session. | ||
| (o) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the | ||
| Legislative Budget Board, and the Texas Veterans Commission shall | ||
| coordinate to provide each respective agency with any information | ||
| required to ensure the proper administration of this section and | ||
| the proper execution of each agency's statutory responsibilities | ||
| concerning this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 322, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Section 322.025 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 322.025. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORT REGARDING TUITION | ||
| AND FEE EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. (a) In this | ||
| section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned | ||
| by Section 61.003, Education Code. | ||
| (b) Using existing resources, the board shall collect from | ||
| each institution of higher education, for each semester, the | ||
| following information regarding tuition and fee exemptions granted | ||
| by the institution under Section 54.341, Education Code: | ||
| (1) the age of each individual attending the | ||
| institution and receiving benefits for the semester; | ||
| (2) for each individual receiving benefits, the number | ||
| of credit hours for which the individual received an exemption for | ||
| the semester; | ||
| (3) for each individual receiving benefits at the | ||
| institution during the semester, the total cumulative number of | ||
| credit hours for which the individual has received an exemption at | ||
| the institution; | ||
| (4) for each individual receiving benefits, whether | ||
| the person is a veteran or the family member of a veteran; | ||
| (5) in a manner that does not identify the person | ||
| receiving benefits and as indicated by official documentation from | ||
| the United States Department of Defense, for a veteran who is | ||
| eligible for benefits or whose service allows another person to be | ||
| eligible for benefits: | ||
| (A) whether the veteran served as an active duty | ||
| member or a member of a reserve component of the armed forces; and | ||
| (B) the veteran's length of service; and | ||
| (6) any other information required by the board. | ||
| (c) Not later than November 1 of each year, the board shall | ||
| submit to the legislature a report regarding the data collected by | ||
| the board under Subsection (b) for the most recent academic year. | ||
| SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply | ||
| beginning with tuition and fee exemptions granted under Section | ||
| 54.341, Education Code, for the 2019 fall semester. | ||
| SECTION 4. Not later than November 1, 2020, the Legislative | ||
| Budget Board shall submit its initial report required under Section | ||
| 322.025, Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 5. 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, 2019. | ||
