85R28010 JRJ-F     By: Lozano, Blanco H.B. No. 3766     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3766:     By:  Lozano C.S.H.B. No. 3766       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to tuition and fee exemptions or waivers 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 54.201 to read as follows:          Sec. 54.201.  CERTAIN FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION   REQUIRED. (a) Notwithstanding any other law and subject to   Subsection (b), to qualify for an exemption, waiver, or other   benefit authorized under this subchapter for enrollment at an   institution of higher education during an academic year, a person   must:                (1)  complete a free application for federal student   aid (FAFSA) for that academic year and:                      (A)  submit the person's FAFSA student aid report   to the institution; or                      (B)  designate the institution as a preferred   institution to receive the report from the United States Department   of Education; or                (2)  if the person is not eligible to receive federal   student aid, complete and submit to the institution the Texas   Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) or a similar   application for state student financial assistance.          (b)  Subsection (a) does not apply to a person who receives a   waiver under Section 54.216.          SECTION 2.  Sections 54.341(l) and (n), Education Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (l)  To be eligible to receive an exemption under Subsection   (k), the child must:                (1)  be a student who is classified as a resident under   Subchapter B when the child enrolls in an institution of higher   education;                (2)  be [as] a graduate or undergraduate student[,   maintain a grade point average that satisfies the grade point   average requirement for making satisfactory academic progress in a   degree, certificate, or continuing education program as determined   by the institution at which the child is enrolled in accordance with   the institution's policy regarding eligibility for financial aid];   [and]                (3)  maintain:                      (A)  a course load of at least 24 semester credit   hours per academic year; and                      (B)  a cumulative grade point average of at least   2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent;                (4)  be 25 years of age or younger on the first class   date [day] of the semester or other academic term for which the   exemption is claimed; and                (5)  if eligible, have exhausted all benefits available   to the child under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational   Assistance Act of 2008 (38 U.S.C. Section 3301 et seq.) or any other   federal law authorizing educational benefits for veterans.          (n)  The Texas Veterans Commission by rule shall prescribe   procedures by which a child assigned an exemption under Subsection   (k) who suffered from a severe illness or other debilitating   condition that affected the child's ability to use the exemption   before reaching the age described by Subsection (l)(4) [(l)(3)] may   be granted additional time to use the exemption corresponding to   the time the child was unable to use the exemption because of the   illness or condition.          SECTION 3.  Section 434.00791(b), Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (b)  The commission shall ensure a system to electronically   monitor the use of tuition and fee exemptions at institutions of   higher education under Section 54.341, Education Code, is   developed.  The system must allow the commission to electronically   receive, for each semester, the following information from   institutions of higher education:                (1)  the name of the institution;                (2)  the name, identification number, and date of birth   of each individual attending the institution and receiving benefits   for the semester under Section 54.341, Education Code;                (3)  for each individual receiving benefits, the number   of credit hours for which the individual received an exemption for   the semester;                (4)  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; [and]                (5)  for each individual receiving benefits, the length   of service of the person eligible for an exemption under Section   54.341(a), Education Code, as indicated by official documentation   from the United States Department of Defense; and                (6)  any other information required by the commission.          SECTION 4.  (a)  Except as otherwise provided by this   section, the changes in law made by this Act apply beginning with   tuition and fees charged for the 2017 fall semester. Tuition and   fees charged for a term or semester before the 2017 fall semester   are governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective   date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that   purpose.          (b)  Section 54.201, Education Code, as added by this Act,   applies to a person's eligibility for an exemption or waiver from   the payment of all or part of tuition or other fees beginning with   tuition and fees charged for the 2018 fall semester.          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, 2017.