Bill Text: TX HB3544 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to higher education for veterans and their families.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-05-08 - Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar [HB3544 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB3544-Comm_Sub.html
83R25129 JRJ-F | |||
By: Menendez | H.B. No. 3544 | ||
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3544: | |||
By: Farias | C.S.H.B. No. 3544 |
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relating to higher education for veterans and their families. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 54.341, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsections (d), (h), (i), (k), and (n) and adding | ||
Subsection (o) to read as follows: | ||
(d) The governing board of each institution of higher | ||
education granting an exemption under this section shall require | ||
each applicant claiming the exemption to submit to the institution, | ||
in the form and manner prescribed by the Texas Veterans Commission | ||
for purposes of this section under Section 434.0079(b), Government | ||
Code, an application for the exemption and necessary [ |
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evidence that the applicant qualifies for the exemption not later | ||
than one year after the earlier of the date the institution: | ||
(1) provides written notice to the applicant of the | ||
applicant's eligibility for the exemption; or | ||
(2) receives a written acknowledgement from the | ||
applicant evidencing the applicant's awareness of the applicant's | ||
eligibility for the exemption. | ||
(h) The governing board of each institution of higher | ||
education shall electronically report to the Texas Veterans | ||
Commission [ |
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required by Section 434.00791, Government Code, [ |
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to each individual receiving an exemption from fees and charges | ||
under Subsection (a), (a-2), or (b). The institution shall report | ||
the information not later than December 31 of each year for the fall | ||
semester, May 31 of each year for the spring semester, and September | ||
30 of each year for the summer session. | ||
(i) The Texas Veterans Commission [ |
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and uniform application of this section. In developing rules under | ||
this subsection, the commission shall consult with the Texas Higher | ||
Education Coordinating Board and institutions of higher education. | ||
(k) The Texas Veterans Commission [ |
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(1) a person who becomes eligible for an exemption | ||
provided by Subsection (a) to waive the person's right to any unused | ||
portion of the maximum number of cumulative credit hours for which | ||
the person could receive the exemption and assign the exemption for | ||
the unused portion of those credit hours to a child of the person; | ||
and | ||
(2) following the death of a person who becomes | ||
eligible for an exemption provided by Subsection (a), the | ||
assignment of the exemption for the unused portion of the credit | ||
hours to a child of the person, to be made by the person's spouse or | ||
by the conservator, guardian, custodian, or other legally | ||
designated caretaker of the child, if the child does not otherwise | ||
qualify for an exemption under Subsection (b). | ||
(n) The Texas Veterans Commission [ |
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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 (m) 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. | ||
(o) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the | ||
Texas Veterans Commission shall coordinate to provide each | ||
respective agency with any information required to ensure the | ||
proper administration of this section and the proper execution of | ||
each agency's statutory responsibilities concerning this section. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 434.0079 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 434.0079. DUTIES REGARDING CERTAIN TUITION AND FEE | ||
EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. (a) The commission, | ||
through its veteran education program, shall assist veterans and | ||
their family members in claiming and qualifying for exemptions from | ||
the payment of tuition and fees at institutions of higher education | ||
under Section 54.341, Education Code. | ||
(b) The commission shall establish the application and | ||
necessary evidence requirements for a person to claim an exemption | ||
under Section 54.341, Education Code, at an institution of higher | ||
education. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 61.0516, Education Code, is transferred | ||
to Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, redesignated as | ||
Section 434.00791, Government Code, and amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 434.00791 [ |
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TUITION EXEMPTIONS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS [ |
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(a) In this section, "institution of higher education" has the | ||
meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | ||
(b) The commission [ |
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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 [ |
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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) any other information required by the commission | ||
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(c) Not later than January 1, 2014, the Texas Higher | ||
Education Coordinating Board shall provide to the commission the | ||
system, or access to the system, developed by the coordinating | ||
board that meets the requirements of this section. This subsection | ||
expires September 1, 2015. | ||
SECTION 4. Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapters F and G to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER F. VETERAN EDUCATION EXCELLENCE RECOGNITION AWARD | ||
NETWORK | ||
Sec. 434.251. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. | ||
(2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning | ||
assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | ||
Sec. 434.252. VETERAN EDUCATION EXCELLENCE RECOGNITION | ||
AWARD NETWORK. (a) The commission by rule shall establish an award | ||
program under which institutions of higher education may receive | ||
recognition from the commission for excellence in providing | ||
education and related services to veterans. | ||
(b) For purposes of receiving an award under Subsection (a), | ||
the commission shall evaluate an institution of higher education | ||
regarding, as applicable, the existence and quality at the | ||
institution of: | ||
(1) an advisory board of students who are veterans to | ||
advise the institution's governing board on issues affecting the | ||
institution's students who are veterans; | ||
(2) a centralized place for students who are veterans | ||
to meet or find assistance and information; | ||
(3) an institution employee who serves as a central | ||
point of contact for students who are veterans; | ||
(4) a United States Department of Veterans Affairs | ||
work-study program; | ||
(5) admissions and enrollment policies specifically | ||
designed for veterans; | ||
(6) new student orientation and courses specifically | ||
designed for veterans; | ||
(7) a student organization for veterans; | ||
(8) academic support services specifically for | ||
students who are veterans; | ||
(9) mental health and disability services; | ||
(10) a housing policy that applies specifically to | ||
veterans; | ||
(11) faculty and staff training on issues affecting | ||
students who are veterans; | ||
(12) career services specifically designed for | ||
students who are veterans; and | ||
(13) any other criteria considered necessary or | ||
appropriate by the commission. | ||
Sec. 434.253. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The commission may | ||
adopt rules as necessary to administer this subchapter. In | ||
developing rules under this section, the commission shall consult | ||
with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and institutions | ||
of higher education. | ||
SUBCHAPTER G. REGIONAL VETERANS EDUCATION COUNSELORS PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 434.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. | ||
(2) "Higher education regions" means the higher | ||
education regions in this state established by the Texas Higher | ||
Education Coordinating Board as specified under Section 434.304. | ||
(3) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning | ||
assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | ||
Sec. 434.302. REGIONAL VETERANS EDUCATION COUNSELORS. The | ||
commission shall employ regional veterans education counselors. A | ||
regional veterans education counselor shall: | ||
(1) visit the institutions of higher education located | ||
in each higher education region served by the veterans education | ||
counselor; | ||
(2) work with those institutions of higher education | ||
and any existing veterans programs at those institutions to: | ||
(A) create a hospitable and supportive | ||
environment for veterans; | ||
(B) enhance awareness of and encourage | ||
participation in veterans educational programs and commission | ||
programs providing other services to veterans, including | ||
employment and claims assistance services; | ||
(C) develop programs providing ancillary | ||
assistance to veterans based on the unique needs of veterans and | ||
their family members; | ||
(D) ensure that veterans successfully complete | ||
their education; and | ||
(E) promote the establishment of a student | ||
veterans group on each campus in the higher education region; | ||
(3) work with local, state, and national veterans | ||
groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American | ||
Legion, to promote educational opportunities and benefits to the | ||
veteran population in the higher education region; | ||
(4) work with local workforce development boards to: | ||
(A) ensure that the regional veterans education | ||
counselors are aware of available nontraditional educational | ||
opportunities, including on-the-job training programs and | ||
apprenticeships; and | ||
(B) advise employers in the higher education | ||
region of potential opportunities to create on-the-job training | ||
programs for veterans; | ||
(5) work with education services officers at military | ||
installations to encourage active duty members of the armed forces | ||
of the United States and veterans to use federal and state | ||
educational benefits; | ||
(6) create and manage publicity campaigns in concert | ||
with the commission and institutions of higher education in the | ||
higher education region to promote the use of education benefits | ||
under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of | ||
2008 (38 U.S.C. Section 3301 et seq.), the tuition exemption | ||
program for veterans and their family members under Section 54.341, | ||
Education Code, and any other education benefit for veterans or | ||
their family members under federal or state law; | ||
(7) support programs to assist students who are combat | ||
veterans in readjusting and reintegrating into a noncombat | ||
environment; | ||
(8) maintain statistical information regarding | ||
demographics of veterans assisted, application success, program | ||
completion rates, dropout rates, and reasons for success or | ||
failure, as appropriate; and | ||
(9) perform other activities, as assigned by the | ||
commission, to enhance the educational opportunities of veterans | ||
and their family members in the higher education region and | ||
throughout this state. | ||
Sec. 434.303. PROGRAM MANAGER. The commission shall employ | ||
a program manager to administer the regional veterans education | ||
counselors program. The program manager shall: | ||
(1) provide leadership, training, support, and | ||
overall management of the regional veterans education counselors; | ||
(2) using data provided by the Texas Higher Education | ||
Coordinating Board, produce an annual report on veterans' | ||
attendance at institutions of higher education; and | ||
(3) perform any other task required by the commission. | ||
Sec. 434.304. ASSIGNMENT OF REGIONAL VETERANS EDUCATION | ||
COUNSELORS. The commission shall assign regional veterans | ||
education counselors throughout this state with at least one | ||
counselor assigned responsibility for serving not more than two of | ||
the following higher education regions: | ||
(1) High Plains Region; | ||
(2) Northwest Texas Region; | ||
(3) Metroplex Region; | ||
(4) Upper East Texas Region; | ||
(5) Southeast Texas Region; | ||
(6) Gulf Coast Region; | ||
(7) Central Texas Region; | ||
(8) South Texas Region; | ||
(9) West Texas Region; and | ||
(10) Upper Rio Grande Region. | ||
Sec. 434.305. SUPPORT FROM INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER | ||
EDUCATION. Each institution of higher education shall cooperate | ||
with the commission to provide information, as permitted by law, | ||
related to student veterans at the institution, provide access to | ||
veteran resource centers or other student meeting areas, and | ||
otherwise support the work of regional veterans education | ||
counselors. | ||
Sec. 434.306. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The commission may | ||
adopt rules to implement this subchapter. In developing rules | ||
under this section, the commission shall consult with the Texas | ||
Higher Education Coordinating Board and institutions of higher | ||
education. | ||
SECTION 5. Section 9.01(b)(4), Chapter 1049 (S.B. 5), Acts | ||
of the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, which would repeal | ||
Section 54.203(h), Education Code, effective September 1, 2013, is | ||
repealed and does not take effect, and Section 54.341(h), Education | ||
Code, which was redesignated from Section 54.203(h), Education | ||
Code, by Chapter 359 (S.B. 32), Acts of the 82nd Legislature, | ||
Regular Session, 2011, remains in effect as amended by this Act. | ||
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act to Section | ||
54.341, Education Code, apply beginning with tuition and fees for | ||
the 2014 fall semester. Tuition and fees for a term or semester | ||
before the 2014 fall 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 7. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
of this Act, the Texas Veterans Commission shall employ the | ||
regional veterans education counselors and a program manager as | ||
required by Subchapter G, Chapter 434, Government Code, as added by | ||
this Act. | ||
SECTION 8. 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 on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
legislative session. |