A university board must waive tuition and lab fees for eligible undergraduate peace officers in certain courses, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board must adopt related rules.
Sec. 54.3531. PEACE OFFICERS ENROLLED IN CERTAIN COURSES. (a) The governing board of an institution of higher education shall exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory fees charged by the institution for a criminal justice or law enforcement course or courses an undergraduate student who: (1) is employed as a peace officer by this state or by a political subdivision of this state; (2) is enrolled in a criminal justice or law enforcement-related degree program at the institution; (3) is making satisfactory academic progress toward the student's degree as determined by the institution; and (4) applies for the exemption at least one week before the last date of the institution's regular registration period for the applicable semester or other term. (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student may not receive an exemption under this section for any course if the student has previously attempted a number of semester credit hours for courses taken at any institution of higher education while classified as a resident student for tuition purposes in excess of the maximum number of those hours specified by Section 61.0595(a) as eligible for funding under the formulas established under Section 61.059 or Chapter 130A. (c) 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 class in a number that exceeds 20 percent of the maximum student enrollment designated by the institution for that class. (d) An exemption provided under this section does not apply to deposits that may be required in the nature of security for the return or proper care of property loaned for the use of students. (e) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt: (1) rules governing the granting or denial of an exemption under this section, including rules relating to the determination of a student's eligibility for an exemption; and (2) a uniform listing of degree programs covered by the exemption under this section. (f) If the legislature does not specifically appropriate funds to an institution of higher education in an amount sufficient to pay the institution's costs in complying with this section for a semester, the governing board of the institution of higher education shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee the cost to the institution of complying with this section for that semester. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 359 (S.B. 32), Sec. 17(b), eff. January 1, 2012. Reenacted by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1316 (S.B. 220), Sec. 3.01(a), eff. June 14, 2013. Amended by: Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 378 (H.B. 8), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.