Bill Text: TX SB1724 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to conditions on the receipt of tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-05-19 - Referred to Higher Education [SB1724 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB1724-Engrossed.html
| By: Zaffirini, Birdwell | S.B. No. 1724 | |
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| relating to conditions on the receipt of tuition and fee exemptions | ||
| at public institutions of higher education. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 54.2001 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 54.2001. CONTINUED RECEIPT OF EXEMPTIONS CONDITIONAL. | ||
| (a) Notwithstanding any other law but subject to Subsection (f), | ||
| after initially qualifying under this subchapter for a mandatory or | ||
| discretionary exemption from the payment of tuition or other fees | ||
| for enrollment during a semester or term at an institution of higher | ||
| education, a person may continue to receive the exemption for a | ||
| subsequent semester or term only if the person: | ||
| (1) maintains a grade point average that satisfies the | ||
| institution's grade point average requirement for making | ||
| satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or a certificate in | ||
| accordance with the institution's policy regarding eligibility for | ||
| financial aid; and | ||
| (2) as of the beginning of the semester or term, has | ||
| not completed more than 30 semester credit hours, or a greater | ||
| number of hours as permitted by the institution on a showing of good | ||
| cause, in excess of the minimum number of semester credit hours | ||
| required to complete the person's degree or certificate program. | ||
| (b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), the computation of a | ||
| person's total number of completed semester credit hours includes | ||
| transfer credit hours that count toward the person's degree or | ||
| certificate program course requirements, but excludes: | ||
| (1) hours earned exclusively by examination; | ||
| (2) hours earned for a course for which the person | ||
| received credit toward the person's high school academic | ||
| requirements; and | ||
| (3) hours earned for developmental coursework that an | ||
| institution of higher education required the person to take under | ||
| Section 51.3062 or under the former provisions of Section 51.306. | ||
| (c) If on the completion of any semester or term a person | ||
| fails to meet any requirement of Subsection (a), the person may not | ||
| receive an exemption from the payment of tuition or other fees | ||
| described by Subsection (a) for the next semester or term in which | ||
| the person enrolls. A person may become eligible to receive an | ||
| exemption in a subsequent semester or term if the person: | ||
| (1) completes a semester or term during which the | ||
| person is not eligible for an exemption; and | ||
| (2) meets each requirement of Subsection (a). | ||
| (d) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a | ||
| policy to allow a student who fails to maintain a grade point | ||
| average as required by Subsection (a)(1) to receive an exemption in | ||
| any semester or term on a showing of hardship or other good cause, | ||
| including: | ||
| (1) a showing of a severe illness or other | ||
| debilitating condition that could affect the student's academic | ||
| performance; | ||
| (2) an indication that the student is responsible for | ||
| the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and that the student's | ||
| provision of care could affect the student's academic performance; | ||
| (3) the student's active duty or other service in the | ||
| United States armed forces; or | ||
| (4) any other cause considered acceptable by the | ||
| institution. | ||
| (e) An institution of higher education shall maintain | ||
| documentation of each exception granted to a student under | ||
| Subsection (d). | ||
| (f) If a requirement imposed by this section for the | ||
| continued receipt of a specific exemption conflicts with another | ||
| requirement imposed by statute for that exemption, the stricter | ||
| requirement prevails. | ||
| (g) This section does not apply to: | ||
| (1) the exemption provided by Section 54.216 or to any | ||
| other exemption provided to a high school student for enrollment in | ||
| a dual credit course or other course for which the student may earn | ||
| joint high school and college credit; or | ||
| (2) any provision of this code that authorizes or | ||
| requires the payment of tuition or fees at the rates provided for | ||
| residents of this state by a person who is not a resident of this | ||
| state for purposes of Subchapter B. | ||
| SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to | ||
| eligibility for an exemption from the payment of tuition or other | ||
| fees beginning with tuition and fees charged for the 2012 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, 2011. | ||
