81st Legislative Session, 2009

Accessing Current Statutes Go to Click on “statutes” Select “Education Code” Select desired chapter Scroll to relevant section It takes a long time for the statutes to be updated to reflect new legislation. Therefore, you also need to know how to look up bills. 2

Accessing Bills Go to Click on “bill lookup” Enter bill number (example, SB93) Click on “submit” Select icon for “enrolled” bill 3

What Now? Governor has until June 21 to sign or veto Some statutes are immediately effective (2/3 vote) Some statues give effective dates 4

Great News Financial aid increase – $186 million for TEXAS Grant, $10 million for TEOG and $69 million for BOT 5

What Did Not Make It SB 1394 Zaffirini-- Regarding the availability of degree programs in the applicant's preferred major field of study offered by other institutions. Tuition Reregulation----Many Bills 6

Notices HB 4244 Hochberg--Requires that each student identify any relation to a current Board of Regent member prior to receiving a scholarship HB 2504 Kolkhorst--Relating to requiring a public institution of higher education to make available to the public on the institutions' Internet website certain course information. Parts of bill are the same as SB 1764SB HB 1304 Patrick--Relating to reporting the set-aside portion of designated tuition on student fee bills 7

Notices HB 4189 Rose--Relating to the conduct of compliance programs by institutions of higher education (includes SB 819 by Senator Davis-Meningitis Vaccinations) SB 1764 Watson--Relating to the dissemination of information regarding the cost of attending public and private institutions of higher education and regarding the availability of financial aid to assist in paying that cost 8

New/Changed Waivers (HB4244) Competitive Scholarship Waiver (TEC ) Makes the waiver an option, not a requirement for institutions who award $1,000 competitive scholarships. Grandfathers students previously offered awards with waiver entitlements for fall

New/Changed Waivers (SB297) Military Family Waiver (TEC (k)) Member must be eligible for federal veterans benefits Waiver applies to member, spouse and children (including stepchildren) User must provide school letter of intent to make TX home, and reside in TX while attending college Child must be <=25, unless granted a hardship waiver due to severe illness or debilitating condition Eligible to pay resident, not nonresident tuition 10

Hazelwood Adjustments-SB93 Texas Veterans Exemption (TEC ) Exemption is for tuition, dues, fees and other required charges At time of entry into service, member must: Be resident of TX, or Designate TX as Home of Record, or Enter service in Texas (eliminates references to “citizens of TX”) 11

Hazelwood Adjustments-SB93 Expands eligibility to spouses… of veterans killed in line of duty, MIA or 100% unemployable due to service-related disability; and of National Guard Members killed in service of the state or US or 100% unemployable due to service-related disability. Spouses must be residents of Texas. 12

Hazelwood Adjustments-SB93 Establishes “Legacy” program: Allows vet to assign unused hours to a child; If first child does not use all hours, balance can be assigned to another child; Child must: Member’s stepchild, biological child, adopted child or claimed as dependent (previous or current year); Be less than 25 (hardship extensions possible); and Meet FA satisfactory academic progress (except for minimum hour per term requirement). 13

Hazelwood Adjustments-SB93 Stacking with federal benefits Federal benefits available ONLY for tuition and fees may not exceed Hazelwood exemption value. Federal benefits available for various costs including tuition and fees are not relevant. Federal benefits for tuition and fees plus Hazelwood exemption, combined, may not exceed tuition and fee charges for the term. 14

Hazelwood Adjustments-SB93 Effective date of new provisions 2009 fall term Refunds are to be made to otherwise eligible students who have already paid for the fall term Summer term expenses are not impacted by the bill. 15

Hazelwood Adjustments-SB847 Extraordinary Cost Programs ( (g)) All public 2-year institutions may charge Hazelwood- eligible students a fee for courses with extraordinary costs (by Hazelwood rules, defined as “tuition and fee costs that exceed the average tuition and fee charges of the institution”). 16

Military Child Exemption-SB297 TEC (b-2) For dependent children (including stepchildren) of US Armed Forces members deployed on active duty for the purpose of engaging in a combative military operation outside the United State. Child must be a resident of Texas or entitled to pay the resident tuition rate. Student is exempted from paying tuition. Legislature is to offset lost tuition revenues through additional appropriations to the institutions. 17

Military Credit (HB269) TEC Institutions shall grant college credit for all PE courses required for undergraduate degrees and for additional SCRs, not to exceed 12 additional hours for elective course requirements for courses outside the student’s major or minor if student: Graduated from accredited HS or DOD HS; and Completed at least 2 years of service, or Was discharged because of a disability. 18

Other Exemptions (HB1568); New optional tuition and fee exemption program for employees of community college districts (TEC ) SB45; New optional tuition and fee exemption for students taking courses through inter-institutional academic program agreements (TEC ) 19

Firefighter Exemption (HB2013) Firefighter Exemption (TEC ) Extends tuition and lab fee exemption program to certain volunteer firefighters; Adds academic progress requirements; Cannot be used to avoid increased tuition for excess hours (undergrad or grad); CB to provide list of eligible degree plans Coming! In fall 2011, this program expands to peace officers in criminal justice or law enforcement classes. 20

Fam. Prot. Svcs. Exmptn. (SB43, SB939) (TEC ) Fall 2009 Adds students adopted at any age after 9/1/2009 while under Dpt. Family Prot. Services (DFPS) conservatorship; Extends to all students under DFPS conservatorship day before custody assigned to person other than parent, starting 9/1/2009 Spring 2010 Extended to apply to dual enrollment Dual enrollment exemption is base of eligibility for college-enrollment exemption 21

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