89R10953 JTZ-F     By: Ashby, Morales of Maverick, Lujan, Frank, H.B. No. 1507       Cook, et al.       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to tuition and fee exemptions for firefighters enrolled in   certain courses at public institutions of higher education.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 54.353(a), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (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 fire science curriculum [who]:                (1)  who is employed as a firefighter by a political   subdivision of this state; or                (2)  who:                      (A)  is:                            (i)  a member in good standing of a volunteer   fire department that is registered with the Texas A&M Forest   Service and responds to 9-1-1 emergency calls in a designated area;   or                            (ii)  currently, and has been for at least   one year, an active member of an organized volunteer fire   department participating in the Texas Emergency Services   Retirement System or a retirement system established under the   Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's   Texas Civil Statutes);                      (B)  attends at least 20 hours of annual training   approved by the State Firefighters' and Fire Marshals' Association   of Texas;                      (C)  attends or provides support services for at   least 25 percent of the department's emergencies in a calendar   year; and                      (D)  [who] holds:                            (i) [(A)]  an Accredited Advanced level of   certification, or an equivalent successor certification, under the   State Firefighters' [Firemen's] and Fire Marshals' Association of   Texas volunteer certification program; or                            (ii) [(B)] Phase V (Firefighter II)   certification, or an equivalent successor certification, under the   Texas Commission on Fire Protection's voluntary certification   program under Section 419.071, Government Code.          SECTION 2.  Section 54.353(a), Education Code, as amended by   this Act, applies beginning with tuition and laboratory fees   charged for the 2025 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, 2025.