Bill Text: TX HB766 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to exemptions for disabled peace officers and fire fighters from payment of tuition and fees at public institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective immediately [HB766 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB766-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 766 |
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relating to exemptions for disabled peace officers and fire | ||
fighters from payment of tuition and fees at public institutions of | ||
higher education. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 54.352, Education Code, | ||
is amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 54.352. DISABLED PEACE OFFICERS AND FIRE FIGHTERS [ |
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SECTION 2. Section 54.352, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsections (a), (g), and (h) and adding Subsection (b-1) | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(a) The governing board of an institution of higher | ||
education shall [ |
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and [ |
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which space is available if the student: | ||
(1) is a resident of this state and has resided in this | ||
state for the 12 months immediately preceding the beginning of the | ||
semester or session for which an exemption is sought; | ||
(2) is permanently disabled as a result of an injury | ||
suffered during the performance of a duty as: | ||
(A) a peace officer of this state or a political | ||
subdivision of this state; or | ||
(B) a fire fighter, as defined by Section | ||
614.001, Government Code, employed by this state or a political | ||
subdivision of this state; and | ||
(3) is unable to continue employment as a peace | ||
officer or fire fighter because of the disability. | ||
(b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the governing board | ||
of an institution of higher education may not provide exemptions | ||
under this section to students enrolled in a specific course in a | ||
number that exceeds 20 percent of the maximum student enrollment | ||
designated by the institution for that course. | ||
(g) For the purpose of [ |
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suffered during the performance of a duty as a peace officer if the | ||
injury occurs [ |
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officer's performance of any of the following law enforcement | ||
duties: | ||
(1) traffic enforcement or traffic control duties, | ||
including enforcement of traffic laws, investigation of vehicle | ||
accidents, or directing traffic; | ||
(2) pursuit, arrest, or search of a person reasonably | ||
believed to have violated a law; | ||
(3) investigation, including undercover | ||
investigation, of a criminal act; | ||
(4) patrol duties, including automobile, bicycle, | ||
foot, air, or horse patrol; | ||
(5) duties related to the transfer of prisoners; or | ||
(6) training duties, including participation in any | ||
training required by the officer's employer or supervisor or by the | ||
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. | ||
(h) For the purpose of this section, a person [ |
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administrative officer of the law enforcement agency, fire | ||
department, or other entity that employed the person [ |
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the time of the injury, as applicable, determines the person | ||
[ |
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an institution under Subsection (e). | ||
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an | ||
exemption from tuition and fees beginning with the 2019 fall | ||
semester. | ||
SECTION 4. 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. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 766 was passed by the House on April | ||
16, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 132, Nays 3, 2 present, not | ||
voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to | ||
H.B. No. 766 on May 23, 2019, and requested the appointment of a | ||
conference committee to consider the differences between the two | ||
houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report | ||
on H.B. No. 766 on May 26, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, | ||
Nays 2, 2 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 766 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 20, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays | ||
0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference | ||
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and | ||
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. | ||
766 on May 26, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |